Coming on the heels of a pulsating MLS playoff opener in Seattle, it’s a big derby weekend for soccer on ESPN with Arsenal v Tottenham on Saturday morning and the first Beckham playoff game on Sunday afternoon. Those two games are both pretty strong draws, but there is more that ESPN and MLS can do [...]
Filed under: Future of American soccer, MLS, Premier League | 1 Comment »
If you were in a coma for the past 20 years and suddenly awoke with ESPN2 on the tv you would have thought soccer has become huge in this country, and maybe it has. Last night’s opening playoff game was a great moment for the league.The game had a little bit of everything – a [...]
Filed under: MLS | 2 Comments »
MLS couldn’t dream of a better matchup to start the playoffs (okay Beckham isn’t in it). Houston is playing at Seattle at 10pm tonight on ESPN 2 in what could be a real barn burner. Houston is a very solid solid team with a few elite players in Stuart Holden and Ricardo Clark. Ives made [...]
Filed under: MLS | Leave a Comment »
This weekend at 8:30am on ESPN the north London derby will be front and center – and this year it certainly feels different. The shit talking has already started, with Keane, saying Spurs squad is deeper than Arsenal’s (unfortunately for Spurs they will see if he is right since Modric, Defoe, and Lennon are all [...]
Filed under: Premier League, Spurs | Leave a Comment »
Here are some things on the intertubes and some thoughts: Spurs submit stadium plans for planning approval and it looks sweet. Despite the recession and the lavish spending of the last few years, Spurs have managed their finances well and are now seeking to build a stadium on par with their north London rivals. Spurs [...]
Filed under: Meat Pies and Orange Slices | Leave a Comment »
Steve Goff is reporting that on top of DC United considering Baltimore, the team is talking stadium to a Virginia county outside of the beltway – likely Loudoun. None of this should really come as a surprise (see my take on the Baltimore news). United has to keep their options open and need a credible [...]
Filed under: MLS | 1 Comment »
Steve Davis is right. MLS will almost certainly never have promotion and relegation. American owners would simply balk at the idea of their prize investments getting sent down to the minors. Owners like to avoid risk, and relegation is a big risk. However, there are two somewhat feasible ways to imagine promotion/relegation coming about in [...]
Filed under: MLS | 1 Comment »
Fernando Torres’ winner on Sunday against Manchester United rescued Liverpool’s season from the brink of disintegration. True, Liverpool were far better than a remarkably tame Man U (more on that later this week), but their superiority had not translated into many clear goal scoring chances and a stalemate beckoned. That is, until Torres lit up [...]
Filed under: Liverpool, Premier League | 1 Comment »
There are a lot of great story lines going into the MLS playoffs – will Seattle be the first expansion team to win, will Columbus repeat, can Real Salt Lake cause a stir – all of these are great stories, but another story will dominate: David Beckham. MLS has finally got David Beckham right where [...]
Filed under: MLS | Leave a Comment »
Wow – what an end to the season. Heartbreaking late goals, a heart-warming and sentimental annihilation in New York and a once lowly franchise making the playoffs for the first time in their glistening stadium. Here are the highlights: Red Bulls show some pride and spirit in their last game at Giants stadium by annihilating [...]
Filed under: MLS | Leave a Comment »
Max Bergmann
Ken Gude
Pat Garofalo
Jay Heidbrink