Sunday, February 28, 2010

After the Weekend Feb 27-28

 Action during Saturday's ChivasUSA/Crew scrimmage

MLS Preseason

MLS

Player Moves

Interesting Reads

The Business of Soccer
  • Simon says: "The only business of football is football."

Title and Champions League Races in Europe

 GP  W   D  L   GD  Pts 
EPL
 Chelsea  28   19  4  5  39  61 
 Manchester Utd 28   19  3  6  42  60 
 Arsenal  28   18  4  6  35  58 
 Tottenham 28   14  7  7  23  49 
Bundesliga
 Bayern Munich 24   15  7  2  30  52 
 Bayer Leverkusen 24   13  11  0  30  50 
 Schalke 04 24   14  6  4  18  48 
 Hamburg 24   10  10  4  17  40 
Ligue 1
 Bordeaux 24   16  3  5  22  51 
 Montpellier 26   16  3  7  9  51 
 Lyon 26  14   7  5  17  49 
 Marseille 25   14  6  5  19  48 
Serie A
 Internazionale 26   17  7  2  30  58 
 AC Milan 26   16  6  4  20  54 
 AS Roma 26   15  6  5  16  51 
 Palermo 26   12  7  7  6  43 
La Liga
 Barcelona 24   19  4  1  45  61 
 Real Madrid 24   19  2  3  46  59 
 Valencia 24   13  7  4  16  46 
 Sevilla FC 24   13  4  7  11  43 

Friday, February 26, 2010

News and Views from Friday Feb 26

Mike Magee comes under pressure by Lance Watson

MLS
MLS Preseason
Player Moves
Interesting Reads
The Business of Soccer

Wambach scores winner at Algarve Cup.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

News and Views from Thursday Feb 25

Jimmy Conrad, Chance Myers and Maykel Galindo
 
MLS
  • Bottom line ... contract has expired, union advises players to keep working(for now), league willing to start season while negotiations continue. And oh, ESPN's soccer coverage .... the Wayne Bridge/John Terry fiasco.
  • In case you've been living in a cave and need to get caught up, here are two(of many) decent looks at the situation. One from Steve Goff, the other from Brian Straus.
MLS Preseason
Interesting Reads
The Business of Soccer
  • Not only will PP&L, the Lehigh Valley energy company, be paying for the naming rights to the Philadelphia Union's new stadium, but they'll also be providing power to the stadium as part of the deal.
  • Precious Roy tells us where football debt does have consequences.
Club Tournaments

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

News and Views from Wednesday Feb 24


MLS Preseason
MLS
Club Tournaments
Interesting Reads
The Business of Soccer

US Women open Algarve Cup with 2-0 victory.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

News and Views from Tuesday Feb 23

Rapids academy players at the Development Academy Winter Showcase

MLS Preseason
MLS
  • Fire Academy joins parent club on preseason travels.
  • CONCACAF keeping close eye on MLS CBA situation. If Columbus is forced to forfeit its champions league place, a spot in the Hall of Shame awaits the league.
Interesting Reads
Club Tournaments
Player Moves
The Business of Soccer

Monday, February 22, 2010

News and Views from Monday Feb 22

 
Kei Kamara and local youth team members in Arizona

MLS Preseason
MLS
Player Moves
Interesting Reads
My Throw-Ins

Sunday, February 21, 2010

After the Weekend

MLS Preseason
MLS
  • OK, I've been holding back on posting all the 'what-if' stories on the labor negotiations between MLS and the players. It seems finally that some bona fide information has come out, specifically in this report by Steve Goff on the first things we've heard from the league in quite some time. The statement came on the heels of several players expressing deep dissatisfaction with the talks and painting a fairly gloomy picture concerning the discussions.
  • Footiebusiness keeps us up with a few deals cut by MLS clubs.
  • Since Steve's report, there has been a back and forth between MLS President Mark Abbott and MLSPU executive director Bob Foose. You can find those on your own. You can't enter the soccersphere without running into links to the verbal tennis match. I'm going to stand pat and watch what unfolds as the talks extension deadline(Thursday) approaches. Should be fun. 
Club Tournaments
Interesting Reads
The Courts and single entity.
University of Evansville Head Coach Mike Jacobs on What is 'skill' or 'good football'?

Title and Champions League Races in Europe

 GP  W   D  L   GD  Pts 
EPL
 Chelsea  27   19  4  4  41  61 
 Manchester Utd 27   18  3  6  39  57 
 Arsenal  27   17  4  6  33  55 
 Tottenham 27   13  7  7  22  46 
Bundesliga
 Bayer Leverkusen 23   13  10  0  30  49 
 Bayern Munich 23   17  7  2  29  49 
 Schalke 04 23   13  6  4  17  45 
 Hamburg 23   10  10  3  18  40 
Ligue 1
 Bordeaux 24   16  3  5  22  51 
 Montpellier 25   15  3  7  7  48 
 Lille 25  14   5  6  23  47 
 Lyon 25  13   7  5  15  46 
Serie A
 Internazionale 25   16  7  2  29  55 
 AS Roma 25   15  5  5  16  50 
 AC Milan 24   14  6  4  17  48 
 Juventus 25   12  5  8  7  41 
La Liga
 Barcelona 23   18  4  1  44  58 
 Real Madrid 23   18  2  3  42  56 
 Valencia 22   12  7  3  18  43 
 Sevilla FC 23   13  3  7  11  42 




I guess it's time that I chime in on the ongoing MLS/MLSPU Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations. Back in September, before it became apparent that the players' prime concerns were free agency and guaranteed contracts, I put forth my ideas on some items that I thought were important. Shows what I know. Anyway, just thought you should see what I was thinking, and still do, regarding salaries and roster sizes.

Now, five months later, almost all of the talk is focused on free agency. And I have to agree with most of the opinions in the soccersphere that the current system is wholly unfair to players. I thought, what's the problem, so long as a salary cap remains in place, why can't the league relent on this issue. Then I read this piece by Jeff Carlisle. In it, Jeff quotes former Chicago Fire general manager Peter Wilt, in which he points out the major obstacle to granting free agency, specifically that in so doing the league could open itself up to a re-examination of the lawsuit that was brought in 1997 and settled in 2002 that confirmed the legality of the single entity system that MLS operates.

After reading that I immediately saw the rock and the hard place the league might be finding itself between. Even if it were inclined to grant some form of free agency, they will do nothing that threatens the system. For if in granting any form of free agency, they feel that the Fraser v. Major League Soccer LLC decision could be overturned, I can't see them getting close to the issue. As much as I sympathize with the players, I'm not smart enough to think of a solution that both parties can live with. It's definitely one for the lawyers.

Friday, February 19, 2010

News and Views from Friday Feb 19

I try to make sure that everything I link to has some interesting aspect to it, but today I must say that if you read nothing else, make sure you look at the Richard Snowden piece listed in the MLS section and Adam Spangler's article in the Interesting Reads section.

MLS Preseason
MLS
Player Moves
Interesting Reads
Club Tournaments
The Business of Soccer



The USMNT pre World Cup friendly schedule.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

News and Views from Thursday Feb 18

MLS Preseason
MLS
Interesting Reads
Club Tournaments
The Business of Soccer
Player Moves

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

News and Views from Wednesday Feb 17

MLS Preseason
MLS
Club Tournaments
Interesting Reads
The Business of Soccer

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

News and Views from Tueday Feb 16

MLS Preseason
MLS
Interesting Reads
Club Tournaments
The Business of Soccer
  • Owen Gibson with a couple of articles on image rights in football. First, a chronology. The tax issues involved with image rights.

Monday, February 15, 2010

News and Views from Monday Feb 15

MLS Preseason 
Interesting Reads
Club Tournaments
Leagues
The Business of Soccer
Player Moves

Sunday, February 14, 2010

After the Weekend

 
2nd round draft pick Steve Beitashour of San Jose and 2nd year player Matt Besler of Kansas City jockey for position in a preseason scrimmage in Arizona 


Title and Champions League Races in Europe

 GP  W   D  L   GD  Pts 
EPL
 Chelsea  26   18  4  4  39  58 
 Manchester Utd 26   18  3  5  41  57 
 Arsenal  26   16  4  6  31  52 
 Liverpool 26   13  5  8  16  44 
Bundesliga
 Bayer Leverkusen 21   12  9  0  29  45 
 Bayern Munich 21   13  6  2  27  45 
 Schalke 04 21   12  6  3  16  42 
 Hamburg 21  9   9  3  16  36 
Ligue 1
 Bordeaux 24   16  3  5  22  51 
 Montpellier 24   15  3  6  8  48 
 Lille 24  13   5  6  22  44 
 Lyon 24  12   7  5  11  43 
Serie A
 Internazionale 24   16  6  2  29  54 
 AS Roma 24   14  5  5  15  47 
 AC Milan 23   13  6  4  15  45 
 Napoli 24  10   9  5  5  39 
La Liga
 Barcelona 22   17  4  1  40  55 
 Real Madrid 22   17  2  3  38  53 
 Valencia 22   12  7  3  18  43 
 Sevilla FC 22   12  3  7  9  39 


Meanwhile in Brasil Santos remains on top.

MLS
  • I finally got a chance to listen to this 3 part podcast series on the CBA. Exciting? No. Interesting, Yes. Part One. Part Two. Part Three.
MLS Preseason
Player Moves
Interesting Reads
Club Tournaments

Friday, February 12, 2010

News and Views from Friday

MLS
MLS Preseason
Interesting Reads
Club Tournament News
 Player Moves
The Business of Soccer

Thursday, February 11, 2010

News and Views from Thursday

MLS
MLS Preseason
  • Revs announce 10 day/3 match preseason visit to North Carolina.
  • Sounders close out Arizona stay with win over Vancouver.
 Player Moves
Soccer Miscellaneous
I Don't Do Rumors

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

News and Views from Wednesday

MLS Preseason
Player Moves
MLS News
The Business of Soccer
Interesting Reads
As usual, Peter Wilt provides great stuff; this time on the Chicago Fire's Independent Supporters’ Association, aka Section 8.

China beats South Korea in East Asia Championship.
The UEFA Champions League final will be broadcast on the flagship Fox Network station.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

News and Views from Tuesday

 
San Jose coach Frank Yallop speaks to locals after Tueday's practice

MLS Preseason
MLS News
Interesting Reads
The Business of Soccer
Club Tournaments

Monday, February 8, 2010

News and Views from Monday

MLS Preseason Updates
MLS Related Reads
 Interesting Reads
Club Tournaments
 The USSF-D2 schedule has been released.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

After the Weekend

Not a lot of news this weekend, at least not the kind I find worth posting. But there were a lot of games played. Miss any scores? Here's the place to check.

Title and Champions League Races in Europe
 GP  W   D  L   GD  Pts 
EPL
 Chelsea  25   18  4  3  40  58 
 Manchester Utd 25   18  2  5  41  56 
 Arsenal  25   15  4  6  30  49 
 Liverpool 25   13  5  7  17  44 
Bundesliga
 Bayer Leverkusen 21   12  9  0  29  45 
 Bayern Munich 21   13  6  2  27  45 
 Schalke 04 21   12  6  3  16  42 
 Hamburg 21  9   9  3  16  36 
Ligue 1
 Bordeaux 23   15  3  5  20  48 
 Montpellier 23   14  3  6  7  45 
 Lille 23  12   5  6  20  41 
 Lyon 23  11   7  5  10  40 
Serie A
 Internazionale 22   16  4  2  29  52 
 AS Roma 23   13  5  5  12  44 
 AC Milan 22   12  6  4  14  42 
 Napoli 23  10   8  5  5  38 
La Liga
 Barcelona 21   17  4  0  41  55 
 Real Madrid 21   16  2  3  35  50 
 Valencia 21   12  6  3  18  42 
 Mallorca 21   11  4  6  12  37 


Here is the qualifying draw for EURO 2012.
Howard Hamilton on the Central American stadia crunch.

MLS Bits
  • The Columbus Crew have just under a month to prepare for the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League knockout round tie with Mexican club Toluca.
  • Columbus, Real Salt Lake, Los Angeles and Seattle will be the MLS representatives in the 2010-11 CCL.
  • Ridge Mahoney on the Mexican connection in Chicago.

Friday, February 5, 2010

News and Views from Friday

The Business of Soccer
MLS News
Interesting Reads
Player Moves

Thursday, February 4, 2010

News and Views from Thursday

Player Moves
TFC release defender Adrian Serioux.

Club Tourneys
The Business of Soccer
  • Tom Dunmore with some tasty links; West Ham owner David Sullivan speculating about the need for a salary cap in England, the ownership merry-go-round at Portsmouth, financial woes continue to plague Notts County.
  • RSL Soapbox, of all sites, is reporting that the Philadelphia Union has already sold out 15 sections.
  • Howard Hamilton on the ongoing payment saga involving the 2006 Trinidad & Tobago World Cup team.
Soccer's Continuing Support for Haiti
FIFA approves $3M for Haiti.

Interesting Reads
  • I normally wouldn't link to a story that speculates about a player on trial, but with his connections to McBride and Bocanegra, Ives' piece on Collins John was worth the read.
  • On the heels of the fantastic success experienced by the Seattle Sounders last year, Jason Davis offers this caveat about expansion expectations.
MLS Preseason

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

News and Views from Wednesday

MLS
The Business of Soccer
Interesting Reads
Player Moves

Monday, February 1, 2010

News and Views from Monday

Interesting Reads
The Business of Soccer
MLS News
With the expiration of the CBA, there is a flood of posts on soccer related sites. Here's a couple from writers that usually provide pretty good information and insights.
Player Moves