Major League Soccer

First topic message reminder :

Been a passive fan of the MLS for a few years now, with Toronto FC the side I chose to 'follow'. Earnie making the move across the pond meant that I would try and watch even more games this season, starting last night with the launch of the new campaign.

It's incredible just how many household(ish) names now ply their trade over in Major League Soccer. Take yesterday's game between Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto for example where we had Earnshaw, Miller, Ephraim, Reo-Coker, Eckersley and Lee (as well as manager Ryan Nelson) all involved.

The reason for creating this thread was in the hope that I'm not alone in watching this "below average quality" league?


AM I?!

The Tonker wrote:

Colonel Cardiffi wrote:What sort of crowds do they get?

Americans, mostly, I should think.

Native Americans?

The Tonker wrote:

Colonel Cardiffi wrote:What sort of crowds do they get?

Americans, mostly, I should think.

Slumdog's Son™ wrote:Didn't George Best play for them? Or was it one of the other New York franchises?

I was wrong. Best played for Los Angeles and San Jose.

I am THIS CLOSE to a flounce right now.

Slumdog's Son wrote:

Slumdog's Son wrote:Didn't George Best play for them? Or was it one of the other New York franchises?

I was wrong. Best played for Los Angeles and San Jose.

Surely the best name amongst his list of clubs though he never ended up playing a game for them was Tobermore right at the end of his career. Great badge too

Colonel Cardiffi wrote:I am THIS CLOSE to a flounce right now.

You could always play this....

That's brilliant.

I reckon Trash will have the bottom middle of that card covered already

I enjoy it. The quality is on a similar plane to the championship and it's nice having a decent quality game on to mong out to at night. Plus the little quirks and established American way of running the league (quite a Socialist method, oddly enough) makes it brilliantly unpredictable.

As one branch of American sport slowly dies (tennis), another is flourishing. Some real quality knocking about in MLS these days.

Of course, as with all US sports, I root for the Philly team, though I have a soft spot for the Timbers & Quakes.

I can pull anyone of those out of hat.. If I had principles... Which lets be clear about this... I don't.... My flounce would probably involve me shouting out the window at strangers, starting small fires on dry moorland or tipping cows over

Valley Trash wrote: I can pull anyone of those out of hat.. If I had principles... Which lets be clear about this... I don't.... My flounce would probably involve me shouting out the window at strangers, starting small fires on dry moorland or tipping cows over

At least two out of those three you regularly undertake anyway?

Yep it's what I do best... Tried the three simultaneously in 1987... Have found it difficult to get house insurance since then...

Colonel Cardiffi wrote:What sort of crowds do they get?

The average attendance across the league is just under 19,000 - so about the same as The Championship.

The MLS players union publishes all the salary details for each squad twice a year.
I find it strange that there is such a gap between the highest paid and the rest.
Thierry Henry gets $5million while several team-mates are on $44k.

Kenny Miller is one of the highest paid in the league.

http://www.mlsplayers.org/files/October%201,%202012%20Salary%20Information%20-%20By%20Club.pdf

Talking of 'soccer', the old NASL featured the Caribous of Colorado, who are probably the only team to have a shirt with leather tassles around the midriff: