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Successful yes but like you said the playoffs are the important part. And there have been so many repeat contenders and appearances in the final. The league has become completely top heavy even with a salary cap. There's a reason the LA galaxy has such a glut of stars. NYCFC is about to get a lot bigger too. I'm shocked that they haven't started farming city youth products yet for playing time being a sister club.
I agree that the EPL is not full of parody however it's definitely become the best European league as far as parody goes. Any team can beat any other team any week. The same cannot be said in just about any other league. but I think it's a little hypocritical to call the EPL unbalanced while calling the MLS balanced I think they're in a similar conversation. The MLS is just earlier in its development than the EPL. Trust me 10 years from now I think it's going to be a very similar kind of domination by a few teams.
Take a look at some of the other leagues if you wanna see imbalance. My God bayerns grip on the league is kinda disgusting. La liga is almost as bad...that's the result without league sharing of TV deals luckily the EPL has it and gives the little guys more of a chance. You get beautiful and great stories like bournemouths rise
If you're looking for a little more parody it's all about the champions league. Atletico Madrid and borrusia dortmund making it chelsea winning it all. The rotation of power among the different countries over the last 2 decades has been impressive to. First Italy and England dominates it. Now Spain and germany are dominating the top. That's more like the MLS cup than anyting else in europe and that's the comparison you should be making
Great write up Alex! Your questions were bordering on the Jon Laaser level of excellence. Buzz is always crediting him with asking good questions. I'm sure Buzz lit up a bit when given the opportunity to talk about #getBetter. Hopefully, you guys will be the lucky recipients of an interview during the offseason. Keep it up!!
Great write up and what a cool tradition.
This is rather ridiculous reasoning for being against Lawson. First off, he has 51 D1 yards to Evans' 0. And you completely neglect the fact that he was criminally misused last year. Given that the actual backup was so underprepared, what exactly were you expecting from the freshman that was really only brought in for obvious QB dive plays? Lawson can't be blamed for inexplicable coaching blunders.
Good lord look at Ahmed's arms. I couldn't even read the article they are so distracting.
Backloaded contracts are the adjustable rate mortgages of the sports world. Enticing on paper, and an albatross around your neck in practice. I see this blowing up one way or another.
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10 years 4 months
# | GIFTORY: Frame-by-Frame Highlight Reel of Virginia Tech's 77-62 win over No. 7 Miami 
They aint done yet, they still get FSU in the tourney. 0-27 is one game away boys.
OR
They pull the upset and we lock up a rubber match with Miami
If Evans can live up to the hype, I think he walks in and takes it. I know that Lawson really didn't get any real chance to show anything, which was a waste, but I think this kid comes in with proven leadership skills and college competition (I know its Juco), but those guys tend to be ahead of the curve.
Since 2007, 11 teams have either won the Supporters Shield of MLS Cup. More balanced than most leagues. I hate the way the league is structured, but it's all because it makes more money for the league. I wouldn't say it's imbalanced though. It might cater to the big markets, but that doesn't necessarily translate to success. Portland/Columbus/Kansas City/Salt Lake have been quite successful.
I honestly don't follow the Bundesliga as much as I'd like, so I don't have an answer for you. La Liga is a mess.
What Leicester city doing is literally unprecedented. Yes literally. They were in last place in May last year, set a new record for team to be in last the latest in the year and not get related, and have skyrocketed to first in a legendary calendar year. April 1st 2015, LCFC were bottom. They've played a full season of games since; P38 W24 D10 L4 Pts82. It's absolutely astonishing. 82 points in a season is tremendous for ANY team.
as Eshiben5 noted, EPL had the best revenue sharing to allow for more equality than other sports leagues.
The invisible hand ("blind draws? anyone") That the mls uses to assign designated players top teams illustrates they care about maximum profit to big city teams, selectively growing profit not the league
Then watch the champions league that's the obvious championship tournament in europe.
As for the domestic league city wasn't even in the conversation a decade ago. I'll agree in the past it has been rich get richer scenario but I think the league is completely changing. The league is far more balanced now and will continue to trend that way. I think years ago this kind of thing would be impossible but I think it's going to become a lot easier for the pesky underdogs to find their way into Europe
I just don't understand how one can preach Balance in the MLS when the same teams make the championships year in and year out.
Let me ask you this do you consider the bundlesliga balanced? How about la liga?
Hey a 1 seed finally won, Chattanooga.
see I have never felt that. I always just walk past them even if I don't have lower level tickets looking like I am just returning to my seats from the bathroom or bringing back food/drinks.
I always just buy the cheapest ticket for caps game, hangout in the lower level before they tell you to go to your seats, then just check out what tickets have not been sold on the stub hub app and sit in those seats. Works all the time. Pay for the cheapest tickets and sit in lower level for all caps games
the ushers (for at least caps and wizards) aren't strict at all. But then again, for caps games anyone can go down to the lower level and watch watch warm ups and then they make an announcement to go to your seats once 15 minutes remain until game time. Just act like you know where your seats are or have food and/or drinks in your hands and they won't stop you. Just don't act sketch while passing them
My point on Blackburn was that they were promoted, struck gold with Shearer (ie Vardy) and started competing and finally won the league.
I never said Tottenham was a "little brother." I said there are generally a top 4 (Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal, City). Swap out Liverpool and Man City the further you go back until TV money wasn't huge. Then add Tottenham, always right around 5th and 6th.
It's a top four. A competitive 2 or three to challenge for that last spot and the occasional outlier. That's how the season goes every year.
And the Galaxy go to the final cause they are generally the best team. The playoff format allows teams who drop points throughout the season to be on a level field, clean slate with the top teams. It's not just a points race, which I think it should be.
Well, Evans threw for 3,200 yards in 8 games in JUCO a year ago, and Motley has managed games for us at least decently when stepping in. Dwayne Lawson has thrown for 51 yards in college.
No they aren't but Shaqiri is also half a decade younger. More resale value. But what other league in the world could you talk a player from a title challenging team (inler from napoli) to a potential bottom feeder in leicester. Besides yeah man u and city throw tons of money at players but it's because they're forced to for the talent. Teams know they have the money so they force them to pay extra for it.
Also Blackburn is an awful example they dropped a ton of money on players regularly in the 90s. In fact a lot of their issues came from giving huge contracts to aging talent.
My point is that teams don't have to sell off talent like they used to due to revenue sharing. Yeah southampton sold some players but I think they came out the better selling lambert to get Shane long. They also had a replacement for lallana in ramirez. Yeah ramirez was awful but that's on the scouting department. Just like it's on city's scouting department for the mangala screw up. Fullham had a lot more issues than just selling dempsey and dembele. Dempsey went to Tottenham didn't you just say Tottenham was one of the little brothers?
There's a reason there's tons of parity in the premier league. And no it hasn't just been this year. Last year was a similar script. Chelsea just gave themselves a huge cushion.
Furthermore if the MLS playoff format is so great then why is it that the LA galaxy are in the finals 5 times in the last decade and Houston have been in the final 4 times in the same time period. That doesn't exactly scream balance to me.
What have you seen in Evans and Motley that make you want him over Lawson?
There is a reason Fuente went after Evans right from the get-go. He's been scouting this kid for a long time. My money is on Evans winning the job.
Shaqiri and Inler aren't exactly a Sanchez and Ozil. They're good players. Leicester are the exception, not the rule. Similar to Blackburn 20 years ago, maybe even more impressive. It's a once every 20 year thing because the teams with money will buy up their players. Look at Southampton. They did it the "right" way. Successive promotions--IIRC--and did it through their youth academy. They sold the likes of Shaw, Chambers, Lambert, Lallana and the bunch because of the teams that could offer more money. Look at Fulham, did some solid development and buying, made it to the Europa Final, sold off Dembele and Dempsey and are in a dogfight to avoid League 1 for the second straight year.
Soccer is the have's and the have not's. That's why it's refreshing this season to see Leicester and Tottenham at the top. It's the exception, not the rule.
And you can also argue that the MLS playoff structure isn't the to benefit of the bigger clubs. It helps the teams outside the big markets with the deeper pockets have a shot.
I'm not missing anything. Even if Evans starts 2 yrs and Lawson redshirts, he would start as a redshirt Jr. If he doesn't redshirt, he starts as a 4th yr senior. If he isn't ready to start in his 4th yr on campus, his time will have passed.
Either way, see above...
Not looking good - a #1 seed is yet to win their tourney.
I would have loved to have seen Evans plow Hightower a couple of times then feed RW.
Agreed if I were a small market club I'd not be happy how that system works. It's doomed to failure