|
Member
(02-24-2012, 02:19 AM)
|
2012 Major League Soccer |OT| THIS LEAGUE IS RELEVANT!
#1
 FIRST KICK MARCH 10TH, 6 P.M. EST             The LA Galaxy defeat the Houston Dynamo 1-0.  It's almost First Kick...do you know where your head coach is? STORIES OF 2012:  The Montreal Impact are the latest expansion team to join Major League Soccer, andthey are off to an exciting start. The Impact started strong in the expansion draft, picking up several quality players including Ching, who was later traded back to the Dynamo, Mapp, and Nyassi. Montreal also selected James Riley, who they immediately traded to Chivas USA for Justin Braun and Gerson Mayen. The Impact also had the first pick in the MLS Superdraft, in which they selected Andrew Wegner, a promising forward from Duke. Most recently, the Impact were able to secure Eddie Johnson in the allocation draft, who they then traded to Seattle in return for Mike Fucito and Lamar Neagle. It seems as if the Montreal Front Office has a solid plan for their future. I don't see this expansion team at the bottom of the table in their first year.  David Beckham re-signed with the LA Galaxy after many rumors during the offseason of a move to Paris Saint-Germain. The LA Galaxy should stay a favorite to defend the Supporter's Shield and the MLS Cup with the trio of Beckham, Donovan, and Keane returning to the Home Depot Center in 2012. The LA Galaxy also re-acquired Juninho and Edson Buddle. Expect the Galaxy to remain a powerhouse unless something goes incredibly wrong for the team.  The Championship Round of the CONCACAF Champion's League begins just before the MLS season. Three MLS teams will be competing, including the Seattle Sounders, LA Galaxy, and Toronto FC. The CCL is a big deal. A win guarantees you entry to the Club World Cup, which in theory means an MLS team could play against Barca in a competitive match. Imagine that!  NBC and Major League Soccer announced a three-year media rights agreement which begins with the start of the 2012 season. Each season, NBC will broadcast two regular season MLS games and two playoff games. The NBC Sports Network, a channel rebranded from "Versus," will televise 38 regular season games. All telecasts from both networks will have both pre-game and post-game coverage. Although it seems small, this is a good way for the MLS to get more national coverage. FIRST KICK SCHEDULE: CONCACAF: March 7th 8:00 EST Galaxy @ Toronto Fox Soccer Channel 10:00 EST Santos Laguna @ Sounders Fox Soccer Channel Major League Soccer March 10th Columbus @ Colorado 6:00 EST Montreal @ Vancouver 6:00 EST Sporting KC @ D.C. United 7:30 EST New England @ San Jose 10:30 EST Real Salt Lake @ Los Angeles 10:30 EST
Last edited by Akim; 02-24-2012 at 02:43 AM.
|
|
|
|
Member
(02-24-2012, 02:20 AM)
|
#2
Helpful infographics:
http://i.imgur.com/ZXLWe.gif http://i.imgur.com/VHXHp.gif Here is the FAQ from the previous thread, which probably needs to be updated. All credit to Amibguous Cad. Frequently Asked Questions Ew, MLS? Isn't the quality of play so much lower there than in the big leagues in Europe? I don't think anyone can contend that the MLS is the equal of La Liga or the EPL, but the quality has grown in leaps and bounds since its inception in the mid 90s. It now acquits itself fairly well in international competition, particularly against Mexican sides, and I think we won't need another 16 years before we're the equal of any league in CONCACAF, the North American soccer federation. The analogy I like to use is to collegiate sports: it's undeniable that the professionals are more skilled, but that skill doesn't necessarily translate into a more entertaining experience. At the very least, both college football players and MLS players are skilled enough for it to be enjoyable to watch them. Alright, so let's say the quality of play isn't that low. What does the MLS bring to the table other leagues don't? I can't speak for all fans, but I know that supporting a local team or even just domestic team whose games I actually have a chance at going to is a big part of building loyalty to a team. Watching Barcelona is fun, but I'll never be as connected to them as I am to a team from home soil. The league is physical and punishing, and referees do a much better job of avoiding rewarding diving than they do in other leagues. For a fan of the USMNT, the MLS remains the primary learning ground for promising new national players, among them this year Juan Agudelo, Teal Bunbury, Brek Shea, and Tim Ream. Finally, and the biggest feather in MLS' cap in my opinion, the American league arguably has the most parity of any league in the world, certainly vastly more than the popular European leagues. The championship won't be contested by the same three predictable teams this year that competed for it for the past three deacdes. Your team can move up and down in the pecking order from season to season and even within a season, and dramatic mid-year turnarounds are definitely a possibility. It injects a lot more drama into a title chase when the whole field has a shot at the start of the season. I'm a fan of US sports in general. Why should I care about soccer? Here are a couple of reasons why I personally enjoy the game: It's low scoring. I know that's usually considered a downside, but I really don't think it is. Back when I watched baseball, I remember pitcher's duels being my favorite games to watch: you knew every time a player got into scoring position, the heat was on, and a slight mistake either way could make the razor-thin margin between victory and defeat. It's similar in soccer: every time the ball is in the final third is a time when the match could be decided. Plus, it means that unlike many sports, the margins are close enough in the vasy majority of game situations that a single play can make a difference. The percentage of time in which the game is up in the air is larger in soccer than in any other sport. It's continuous action. People complain about kicking the ball along the defensive line or midfield scrums for the ball, and often justifiably. Still, those situations still beat the time between pitches in an MLB game or the huddling time in an NFL game. Plus, no commercial interruptions. I'm a quintessential American sports fan in that I love underdog stories- and there's no bigger underdog than making soccer a success in the United States. Watching the sport grow from its infancy to where it is today has been an exhilarating experience, and I can't wait to see where the future will take it. Every successful expansion team, every USMNT triumph, every milestone of international competition for MLS clubs is placed into a larger narrative of the ascent of the game in the States, and leads us to where I believe we'll be when I'm lying on my deathbed- talking about about the Big 5 in the American sports landscape. It's an international game. No, I'm not going to talk your ear off about the transcendent unifying force of the beautiful game, or wax poetically about its European roots. What I like is that American clubs are embedded in a wider structure, and have bigger goals to aspire to than domination of their domestic league. No other American sport has the plethora of competitions and trophies to strive for like the MLS has, and I expect that some of the most entertaining soccer this year will occur in the CONCACAF Champion's League and US Open Cup. What's all this about different competitions? To start with, even just within the MLS there are a few different trophies to aspire to. The MLS' answer to the President's Trophy, the Supporter's Shield, given to the team with the best regular season in the league, holds considerably more cachet than most regular season titles in American sport, probably because of the balanced schedule (each team plays each other twice under current scheduling) and because European leagues award their championships to the regular season winner. Of course, there's a standard American playoff, featuring 10 teams, 6 of which get a bye into the second round. It gets more interesting when talking about non-league competition. You see, MLS clubs compete in a few tournaments against non-MLS teams. The most storied of these competitions is the US Open Cup- the longest continually awarded championship in American sports, its first champion being decided in 1914. This is US Soccer's answer to the FA cup, and it's unique in the American sports landscape. Any soccer team in the nation, even amateur ones, can enter the competition. The professionals get byes, of course, entering the tournament in later rounds, but it's still interesting to see minor league and amateur sides competing against the big boys. The most prestigious is the CONCACAF Champion's League, a tournament formed of all the best teams from the North American soccer federation. It's got a format not entirely unlike the World Cup- teams are seeded into 4-team groups, play double round robin home-and-home matches, and the top 2 of each group advance to knockout stages. The teams are pulled from all over North America, with Mexico and the US getting 4 berths apiece, and with nations like Costa Ric and Guatemala also represented. Alright, I'll give it a whirl. Where can I watch it? The highest profile network to carry the league is ESPN; they show one game a week on either their original station or ESPN2. All of these games will be carried on ESPN3.com. Telefutura's a Spanish language national network that also usually has one game a week. You almost certainly have this channel. Fox Soccer Channel tends to have one or two games a week as well. It's a specialty station, and unfortunately difficult and expensive to get, so you might end up missing these games. Thankfully, many sports bars can show the channel. Having a local team is the easiest way to catch games. Most teams have signed deals with their local Fox Sports affiliate, and they'll carry all the games ESPN and FSC doesn't. Beyond that, the league offers a streaming service called MLS Live. At a 60 dollar flat charge to watch all the teams for an entire season, with a free iPhone/Android app introduced this year that will let you stream the matches on the go. Watch out for blackouts. Check it out at http://live.mlssoccer.com/
Last edited by Akim; 02-24-2012 at 02:50 AM.
|
|
(02-24-2012, 02:28 AM)
|
#3
|
|
Member
(02-24-2012, 02:32 AM)
|
#4
In it all year for the Union. Might even grab a half-season pass. Will see if I'll have the time for all the games.
I've got to say I am really excited with our prospects this season. Lost Le Toux and Mondragon but picked up a bunch of talent from Central/South America. Macmath should hopefully come into his own this season too. He showed a lot of promise when he played last season. |
|
Member
(02-24-2012, 02:41 AM)
|
#7
Originally Posted by Gamecocks625:
|
|
(02-24-2012, 02:43 AM)
|
#8
I used it last year and it was well worth the price.
=== News video on San Jose approving the new Earthquakes stadium yesterday
Last edited by xbhaskarx; 02-24-2012 at 02:56 AM.
|
|
Member
(02-24-2012, 03:15 AM)
|
#10
Should be a good year.
Believe in RSL |
|
Member
(02-24-2012, 03:19 AM)
|
Maybe it's more the EPL announcers, but boy does it get on my nerves.
#11
Originally Posted by Akim:
|
|
named a GAFfer's kid.
Yeah. I said Holy Shit too. (02-24-2012, 03:24 AM)
|
#12
:bow return of the king
|
|
Member
(02-24-2012, 03:32 AM)
|
#14
I can't wait for this season. We have improved our roster and extended DeRo. We also extended our lease at RFK and I think our the only team that doesn't own their own stadium. I don't care what temporary home we move into as long as it isn't to Baltimore. I love RFK but it's falling apart.
|
|
Member
(02-24-2012, 03:35 AM)
|
#15
Originally Posted by sazabirules:
|
|
Member
(02-24-2012, 03:37 AM)
|
#16
Originally Posted by xbhaskarx:
I still don't get this blackout thing. Like how many games am I gonna miss in a season? |
|
Member
(02-24-2012, 03:37 AM)
|
#18
Originally Posted by striKeVillain!:
|
|
Member
(02-24-2012, 03:37 AM)
|
#19
Originally Posted by s7evn:
Who else is ready for some Hans Backe moments? I can't wait to see how he manages to shit upon the concept of player development this season. 
|
|
drawer by drawer
(02-24-2012, 03:38 AM)
|
#20
Originally Posted by sazabirules:
|
|
Member
(02-24-2012, 03:47 AM)
|
#24
Originally Posted by Verano:
|
|
Reads Ace as Lace. May God have mercy on their soul
(02-24-2012, 03:56 AM)
|
#28
Originally Posted by sazabirules:
|
|
drawer by drawer
(02-24-2012, 03:57 AM)
|
#29
Originally Posted by pgtl_10:
|
|
Member
(02-24-2012, 04:02 AM)
|
#31
Originally Posted by Vivalaraza:
I'm not sure about the transfer system. My initial reaction is that nothing happens during the summer window since it's the middle of the season, but during the winter window, players are loaned or sold or bought. |
|
Member
(02-24-2012, 04:19 AM)
|
#35
Originally Posted by Vivalaraza:
|
|
Member
(02-24-2012, 04:49 AM)
|
#39
good job on the thread Akim
I'm a Union season ticket holder, looking forward to this year. Bummed that Le Toux was pushed out the door, but we have a pretty promising deep team. I'll be checking in more this year, I've had about enough of the Union boards over at BigSoccer... |
|
(02-24-2012, 04:59 AM)
|
#40
Originally Posted by BLSwagger10:
|
|
Member
(02-24-2012, 06:23 AM)
|
#43
Originally Posted by elsk:
|
|
Member
(02-24-2012, 04:58 PM)
|
#49
Originally Posted by Vivalaraza:
MLS does allow teams to sign players from other leagues during transfer windows; the MLS primary registration window runs from January 23rd to April 16th, and the secondary window is June 27th to July 27th. The league typically will not pay transfer fees to acquire players, so I believe everyone who's come in has left their old club on a free. Note that any capped USMNT players or former MLS players cannot directly be signed, as they must undergo an oddball process known as "allocation order". Two relevant links: 2012 Season Key Dates 2012 Roster Rules |
