One can make a number of observations about the development of Major League Soccer by examining the stadia its teams have played in.� Over the next two weeks, I'm going to rank� 20 of the thirty(?) MLS stadia over the last 14 years and share my impressions and a few anecdotes.� � Through the rankings, which in general tend to be in chronological order,� one can see not only the evolution of MLS stadia, but evolution of the League itself.

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I realize that the last official football match to take place at Giants Stadium was almost two weeks ago between the Red Bulls and Toronto FC, but I still figured I'd throw my two cents in on what was once a football mecca in this country. The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the Meadowlands is very mixed feelings.

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Richie Williams

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Let's talk about some no-brainers in life.

Tired-ass, overly sauced Chinese food vs. Thai food. High-five the Thai, every time.

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Gerrard actually misses Xabi Alonso. Which is kinda cute.
Don't forget to re-acquaint yourself with this beauty.
But Liverpool still sucks.
Now some links:

• More Bulgarian craziness. [Unprofessional Foul]
  
• Police use water cannon at German riot. [SI]
  
• Carlo loves him some Didier Drogba.

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For as bad a stadium as The Swamp could be, Giants Stadium was the backdrop for a few of the most outlandish goals you'll ever see. Mathis' marathon goal against Dallas, Woly's infamous upper 90 banger, and Youri Djorkaeff and Juan Pablo Angel's zero-angle game-winners were all set in that soccer purgatory in East Rutherford. Click to continue reading...

After a three week hiatus, Kartik Krishnaiyer returns to host the show with some excerpts from our EPL Talk interview with critically acclaimed and best selling author, Simon Kuper. Brian Zygo also catches up with Rico Clark to get his thoughts on scoring for the US in front of his father and World Cup qualification.

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Major League Soccer's playoff hopefuls went into the season finale with a whole host of possibilities ahead of them. And without wishing to put too fine a point on it, they all crapped the bed. Here's what happened in a spectacular, surprising and decisive Week 32, the final week of the MLS regular season for 2009. Click to continue reading...

This past week I was asked by Inside The Six's Richard Farley to discuss about MLS, the last match at Giants Stadium, Red Bull New York,� MLS as a whole and the situation of the USL & the future of American Soccer.

Richard Farley who has been� a guest many times on the MLS Talk Podcast with Kartik Krishnaiyer was gracious enough to allow me to share my thoughts on the game here in the USA.

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When you say to the uninitiated that you just watched a really exciting nil-nil game they tend to look at you in manner that suggests you are not all there; for them it's like going to Vegas and not gambling. But if you know what's what, a scoreless draw is akin to two blind-folded guys fighting; they may never land a punch but the near misses are what make it entertaining. Click to continue reading...

Anybody casually tuning in to Major League Soccer's Week 32 action and teetering over the great lake of MLS fandom will have jumped right in. The final week of the regular season began with a cluster of teams fighting it out to take up the final three playoff spots. The results and their impact on the playoff bracket were hugely surprising and entirely unpredictable as slip-ups and upsets allowed an unfancied team to leap into the post-season from outside everyone's assumed candidates.

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The NFL's Giants Stadium was once a famous venue of American soccer, a must-be-seen place with packed crowds and Pele in the 1970s.

Then the New York MetroStars, later rebranded to Red Bull New York, started playing there almost two decades later in Major League Soccer.

As the Red Bulls laid the final piece of sod today at their new, impressive Red Bull Arena in New Jersey, some current players took the chance to express their feelings about Giants Stadium and the support they (did not) receive there.

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Though the rain may have followed it's way over from Giants Stadium to Red Bull Arena, and the sky was as gray as ever, it could not dampen nor cast a shadow on today's accomplishment. Ladies and Gentlemen, say goodbye to plastic turf; the final piece of sod is in place, and the Red Bulls Kentucky Blue Grass pitch is finally complete.

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Saturday, Oct. 24 was the day of the last professional soccer game at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. While The Swamp has many pleasant memories for soccer fans, particularly those old enough to remember the New York Cosmos, for the New York Red Bulls the end could not have come soon enough.

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By Clemente Lisi - EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ (Oct 26th, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- Red Bull NY marked the end of an era – others would argue error – on Saturday night when the team played its last game ever at Giants Stadium. This would have been their final game regardless, with Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ opening for 2010. Click to continue reading...

By Clemente Lisi -- EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ (Oct 26th, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- Giants Stadium has hosted many important international soccer games – from high-caliber friendlies to the 1994 World Cup - over the past 30 years. The legendary stadium has also hosted some very important Men's and Women's National Team games over the past three decades. Click to continue reading...

As last game scenarios go, few would have expected so many teams to make themselves a non-issue. Toronto and Dallas couldn't win against teams that were either our of the playoffs are already in, while DC gets to spend an off season wondering what else was needed to beat Kansas City. Toronto 0 - New York 5 The last soccer game at Giants Stadium became more about the Red Bulls continuing their spoiler run late. Click to continue reading...

Jack Bell creates a list of 10 most memorable games at Giants Stadium.

Some of the highlights.

Last summer's USA vs Mexico Gold Cup final turned out be an embarrassing 5-0 rout. David Beckham's New York introduction in 2007 resulted in a 5-4 pulsating shootout between the Galaxy and the Red Bulls.

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Daniel Feuerstein had the pleasure of interviewing three soccer legends this past Saturday when he sat down with Tony Meola, Tab Ramos and Youri Djorkaeff to discuss the legacy of playing at Giants Stadium in New Jersey.

The players share their thoughts about the last game at Giants Stadium as well as their future home, what the latest developments are regarding the acquisition of a new coach for Red Bull New York, as well as whether Tony Meola would like to return the organization.

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The New York Red Bulls played their last game at Giants Stadium Saturday night, Oct. 24, 2009, putting to rest 13 years of (mostly bad) memories. They did so in impressive fashion, defeating Toronto FC by a 5-0 score that ended TFC's playoff hopes.

The massive Swamp was never meant to be anything beyond a temporary waystation for the New York/New Jersey Major League Soccer franchise.

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On a cold and rainy night at the swamps of the Meadowlands, this was the final performance on the soccer side at Giants Stadium. Yes the season has been lost since the middle of June, but that doesn't mean the club can't try to play for pride and knock off Toronto FC from the playoffs.

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The Red Bulls ended Toronto FC's playoff hopes by shellacking them 5-0. The worst MLS team reserved its best for its last game at Giants Stadium.

Next season will be at the Red Bull Arena. Last year, the Red Bulls were runners up to the Crew in the MLS. Hopefully, they will do better in their new digs.

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When you looked up at the sky, and the puddles all over the floor, there was a certain irony in it all; as if even the God's were crying over the 2009 season. And what weather could be more fitting for a Stadium that caused nothing but tears for the past 14 years? Surely, with a hungry and desperate TFC at the gates, tonight would end like so many others; a tearful mess of a loss.

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Former France international and MetroStars/New York Red Bulls player Youri Djorkaeff spoke to media at halftime of the final game at Giants Stadium Saturday. Djorkaeff was asked if he had spoken to Thierry Henry, who is reportedly seeking a spot on next year's Red Bulls squad. While not mentioning Henry by name, Djorkaeff's answer was nonetheless telling.

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It is one hell of a night for a stadium finale.

The New York Red Bulls are playing host to Toronto FC tonight in the regular season finale for both and the final soccer game at Giants Stadium. New York fans might feel some sense of nostalgia as this long-time home for soccer closes, but TFC fans only care about one thing.

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It is one hell of a night for a stadium finale.

The New York Red Bulls are playing host to Toronto FC tonight in the regular season finale for both and the final soccer game at Giants Stadium. New York fans might feel some sense of nostalgia as this long-time home for soccer closes, but TFC fans only care about one thing.

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It's a Saturday night, and I didn't want to watch the damn game at a pub on an f'ing delay for whatever reason MLSE had in mind. And technically, should "f'ing" begin with an "an" instead of an "a", because if you say it, it's more like 'effing'... semantics.
We've got a damn rain delay. Sure, there's thunder and lightning, but big deal. Click to continue reading...

The last weekend of the Major League Soccer season is about to get underway and six teams are still alive for two remaining playoff spots.

Tonight's five matches will go a long way in determining which two teams will join the Columbus Crew and Chicago Fire in the Eastern Conference bracket of the MLS playoffs.

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The last weekend of the Major League Soccer season is about to get underway and six teams are still alive for two remaining playoff spots.

Tonight's five matches will go a long way in determining which two teams will join the Columbus Crew and Chicago Fire in the Eastern Conference bracket of the MLS playoffs.

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Six teams, two playoff berths. We'll keep the standings atop the post and update them with final results. Standings include opponent, goal difference (for/against), and tiebreakers. All times ET

40 Colorado: +7 (42/35), even on tiebreakers
39 Toronto: -4 (37/41), beats NE and DC, loses to DAL
39 D. Click to continue reading...

Giants Stadium's clumsy run in MLS comes to a merciful conclusion Saturday

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Today will be one of the really memorable days in Major League Soccer's 14 years.

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This is why I don't subscribe to 24th Minute. Every time I go over there I see something that makes me want to stab my eyes out. Most of the Canadian blogs, actually. Which is kind of sad. I mean, most of them can write. It's just what's going on up their heads that's the problem.
Anyway, BA Duane with a rumination on the follies of the New York franchise, with commentary by yours truly:

Just as Canadians hate that everything here is Toronto focused (and, say, that USL-1 championship final is overshadowed by TFC's attempt to sneak into the playoffs), Americans don't much like to have it pointed out that it's important to have a presence in the New York market.

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NEW YORK RED BULLS VS. TORONTO FC
Giants Stadium - Saturday, 7:30PM EST
TV: GOL-TV - RADIO: The Fan 590

In the wacky world of North American soccer football there are very few historical sites. While we will stop short of comparing East Rutherford, New Jersey's Giants Stadium to the likes of the San Siro, Nou Camp or Wembley, you have to admit it has played a large concrete role in the continent's footy story. Click to continue reading...

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Call it Rafa's Last Stand.

When Manchester United travels to Anfield on Sunday to take on Liverpool, the defending EPL champions will have a very real chance of beating the struggling Reds and pushing Rafa Benitez one step closer to the exit door.

Liverpool has already lost four matches this year in the EPL, and dropped more points in Champions League at mid-week, making Sunday's match a virtual must-win for the under-fire Spanish manager.

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Call it Rafa's Last Stand.

When Manchester United travels to Anfield on Sunday to take on Liverpool, the defending EPL champions will have a very real chance of beating the struggling Reds and pushing Rafa Benitez one step closer to the exit door.

Liverpool has already lost four matches this year in the EPL, and dropped more points in Champions League at mid-week, making Sunday's match a virtual must-win for the under-fire Spanish manager.

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The 2009 New York Red Bulls season, and the team's 14-year stay at Giants Stadium, will end just after 9:30pm ET tomorrow night. It's fitting that tomorrow's match, versus playoff hopeful Toronto FC, will be played on a wet, slick, artificial surface covered with football lines.
While Giants Stadium has hosted plenty of meaningful soccer matches in its day, the third-class treatment that the NJ Stadium and Entertainment Authority has shown the MetroStars/Red Bulls since 1996 will be encapsulated in Saturday's 90 minutes. Click to continue reading...