"We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things,
not because they are easy, but because they are hard" -JFK
The Houston Dynamo are in for a real test tonight. Traveling to Central America is hard enough,
but a trip to Estadio Tiburcio CarÃas Andino in Tegucigalpa, Honduras is extra tough.
Yesterday afternoon, Mark Berman over at Fox 26 here in Houston reported that Leslie Alexander,
owner of the Houston Rockets, was in negotiations to purchase the Houston Dynamo. Not surprisingly,
the reaction of Dynamo fans on Twitter was not very positive, in my opinion, the concerns of these
fans are misplaced.
Back in March, when the MLS season was still in its primordial stage, I wrote this about Montreal's
well-attended, spirited opener. It was something to behold, a star being born in the inky darkness
from a spasm of pure energy. It was an incredibly encouraging thing. And, for most MLS fans, it was
more or less a sign that they could stop paying attention to the Impact.
A pair of key conference clashes provide a special Sunday night treat for MLS fans as the LA
Galaxy play host to red-hot FC Dallas (7pm, NBC Sports), and Sporting Kansas City put first place
in the East on the line against the New York Red Bulls (9pm, ESPN2).
FC Dallas are charging fast up the Western Conference standings, winners of three straight to
move within five points of Vancouver for the fifth and final playoff spot in the West.
On the road, so no Monday After today. Instead, here is a favorite post from a long time back
about the power of video games.
At about the same time I was wrapping up high school in the early 1990′s, SEGA was the premier
video game system. Arguably the most popular game of that period was the EA Sports hockey.
Use this space to discuss the game. Please do not use it to post illegal streams, troll or
attack others. Chelsea, and other non-MLS fans (though hopefully you enjoy the league and American
soccer as much as we do), are more than welcome to join the discussion, but don't be an idiot.
Jerry Bengtson's signing could prove a double victory for the Revs. (Photo: New England
Revolution)
"Why not us?"
It's a sentiment that's often been heard from MLS fans in the age of the Designated Player.
Since the DP rule was implemented in 2007, it's created a bit of a haves and have nots scenario in
MLS – not necessarily in the trophy case, but in the big name impressive European-pedigree player
department.
I got this video sent to me via e-mail, asking me to share and spread the word. I watched it and
by the end I felt confused. As an American soccer fan am I supposed to be amused or insulted? I
assume their implication is that major international tournaments, like the just completed Euro
2012, brings people like this out of the woodwork.
Busy times in Major League Soccer. While soccer fans around the world were being treated to
the quarterfinal stage of the Euro 2012 tournament, MLS fans had a wide sampling of games to
enjoy. Viewers of EURO 2012 were again treated to ESPN's excellent coverage of the event, with
Ballack, Lalas and others continuing to shine in the studio shows.
The Western side of the United States is the place to be for MLS action tonight, as five night
games are being played in home stadiums of Western Conference clubs.
Chicago's 3-2 victory over TFC kicked things off today, but a later-than-usual cluster of
matches should give MLS fans plenty of enticing night-time viewing.
Since the 2012 MLS season kicked off last month, our inbox has received a fair amount of emails
from footy fans inquiring about everything from how they can watch the games to which team they
should support. Now, we're not here to tell you who to support.
The 2012 Major League Soccer season kicked off this past weekend with a noticeable difference,
the first match of the season was not broadcast on national television, in fact it wasn't till
Sunday afternoon that an MLS match was broadcast nationally. While the realization of no national
broadcast dawned somewhat late on many MLS fans, it did not go unnoticed on Saturday as fans
scrounged to find free previews of either MLS's internet/cable season subscription packages or for
an unsanctioned online feed.
Not many MLS fans were aware of exactly who Real Salt Lake was picking when the club selected
Sebastian Velasquez in the second round of this past January's MLS SuperDraft. They have a better
idea now.Â
The unheralded Velasquez earned a surprise start and was an integral part of RSL's 3-1 victory
over the defending champion Los Angeles Galaxy Saturday night, winning the season's first SBI MLS
Rookie of the Week honors.
I'm totally for this. An club just for female MLS fans to kick it about. Brilliant. Sometimes, I
can barely stand listening to dudes talk soccer, and I'm a dude. Plus, they can probably make
friends and trade pad-crashes for road trips without always having to rely on us stinky apes.
Now... if I can just figure out how to sneak in Tom Hanks-style, it'll be perfect.
A decorated German Ace has been rumored to make a move to MLS for the past few months.
Yesterday, a German World Cup veteran signed with the Fire, although it was not the name most MLS
fans had been expecting to hear.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Chicago Fire announced the signing of German defender Arne
Friedrich, a talented veteran who has represented his country 82 times since his first cap in
2002.
Though most of us will never get far past managing our son's rec league, entering an MLS fantasy
league can help us all channel our inner Sigi Schmid. Luckily, there are countless free MLS fantasy
games available online, each with its own nuances and flavors.
MLS offers their own, called MLS Fantasy Soccer: Manager.
Terrence Boyd moved Bundesligas in the offseason, leaving Germany's Borussia Dortmund for Austria's
Rapid Vienna. Familiar to most MLS fans as the home of the other Red Bulls, Salzburg, it's a league
that doesn't get a lot of coverage in the US. A strong showing from Boyd could change that, and his
opportunity comes with the league's biggest club.
PHILADELPHIA -- Thierry Henry's looming future teammate is one of Landon Donovan's former
teammates, and as the two MLS standouts prepare for the MLS All-Star Game against Chelsea, they
took the time to address Tim Cahill's pending arrival in the league.
Everton announced Monday that Cahill has been transferred to MLS, where he will play with
Henry's New York Red Bulls, and while the club has yet to confirm his capture, Henry is intrigued
at the possibility of adding him to the club's attacking arsenal.
As much as I was looking forward to the Houston Dynamo season getting underway, I was nearly as
excited about the debut of MLS on the NBC Sports Channel. The league signed a new television deal
with NBC Sports this off-season, leaving behind the chronic underachievers as FOX Soccer who
treated MLS like a third-class citizen at best.
The newly revamped Liga MX kicked off this weekend with much fanfare, but by the conclusion of
Sunday's primetime game, fans were left wanting a bit more action. While most MLS fans were
witnessing goals galore in the last week, Mexico's nine games this weekend saw only 16 goals total,
with three 0-0 draws.
The excitement is building as the start of the newly named Liga MX is just a few weeks away. On
July 16th, the official logo and anthem will be unveiled in Mexico City as the league prepares to
kick off on July 20th. If you're new to Mexican soccer, take a look at my introduction to Liga MX
here.
But this difference of opinion isn't what matters for Montero, nor that Montero will likely move
on from the Seattle Sounders soon enough. Rather, it's that MLS made him the player that he is
today, and until his future is decided -- Fulham, Ajax and Real Betis have all reportedly expressed
interest in recent transfer windows -- MLS fans should enjoy watching Montero stateside while they
still can.
Jay Bell who once castigated Fox Soccer applauds NBC's effort
The dynamics of MLS broadcasting shifted this offseason when NBC won broadcasting rights for MLS
and US Soccer matches over Fox. Through the bidding process and the early glimpses of NBC's
treatment of MLS, it seems as if the league's new partner is embracing MLS more than Fox ever
did.
Sunday night, the Cascadia Cup was all the rage. Portland versus Seattle at CenturyLink Field in Seattle. It was sold out. More than 66,000 fans showed up to witness the Sounders dust off the Timbers, 3-0.
Alex Olshansky with a statistical look at the quality of play in MLS. Is the league
in midseason form?
They played well ....
poorly despite .... because they are or are not in mid-season form.
We hear a variation of that quite frequently, especially in the context of the European summer
barnstorming tours or CONCACAF Champions League matches.
U.S. Soccer fans might not have a whole lot to root for at this summer's Olympic tournament, but
MLS fans will most certainly have a rooting interest.Â
D.C. United winger Andy Najar and Sporting Kansas City midfielder Roger Espinoza were among
those named to Honduras' Olympic roster on Thursday, with Espinoza occupying one of the team's
three overage places.
While most MLS fans and pundits have watched the advancement of the MLS development academy
system with an eye toward grooming players for promotion to their respective professional teams,
one important side-effect to a well-run academy system has often been overlooked: youth players who
leave academies for opportunities overseas rather than staying local.
Just got a new i-phone today and one of the first things I added was the MLS MatchDay App. Let
me say that I was blown away. The App is a huge improvement over prior iterations and provides
great functionality optimized for the small screen. In full disclosure, I am not a "techie," so I
am sure there issues with the App that are not readily apparent to my uneducated eyes.
MLS fans put up with a lot in America. The soccer ignorant and the soccerphobic. Flipping through
offseason NFL news, spring training news, NASCAR news, NBA trade rumors, hockey news, and golf news
in their local papers before getting to ...
Visit http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com for the rest of the story.
Mount Royal Soccer, SB Nation's Montreal Impact blog launches
Today is big news for MLS fans on SB Nation as it marks the first time that every single MLS
team has its very own blog on this wonderful network of ours.
So please head on over to the site and wish em well. We'll be sure to use them as a resource
heading into the 2012 season.
Being a Fire fan is rewarding in countless ways. One of my favorite things is when I get to
interact/meet other Fire fans. That is part of the fun of following any sport or team- the
camaraderie you feel, especially when talking or hanging out with other fans. It feels even more
special when it comes to the Fire, since there is a strong feeling of family and community when it
comes to the Men in Red no matter who and where you are.
