I'm knocking off for the weekend, but wanted to pass on two late items.
The first involves a deadline that seems plenty significant as we head into next week. It's mentioned smack in the middle of an Ives Galarcep post on Red Bull New York's one-step-forward, two-steps-back attempt to sign a second designated player: "With the deadline for teams to be salary cap compliant set for next Friday, March 1st..."
I'm guessing there will be plenty of spazzing linked to that deadline in the coming days.
The other item just makes a point that doesn't get clearly mentioned all that much: Major League Soccer (MLS), and more specifically the teams that comprise the league, exist to serve their own ends. They are not specifically, or even primarily, about building the U.S. Men's National Team. This point came from a quality post on DCenters. Too right. It's possible I'm stating the point more emphatically than D, who wrote the DCenters post, but this is something you rarely hear stated explicitly. MLS is in this business for themselves and that's the way it should be; these two entities properly intersect only where individual players are involved.
One last editorial note before walking away for the weekend. Assuming things go according to plan, Fridays will look a lot like this from here on out. I'll post something about the Timbers, do my New England thing over on The Offside, and, when the regular season kicks off, I'll link to the previews on MLSnet.com and throw out some predictions on coming games, but, that should be all I do in this space on Fridays. In other words, it's my intention to go like hell all week and then chill on Friday. I'll make exceptions for MAJOR stories, but I'm not seeing any of those today (sorry, Nick).
Anyway, we'll see how this goes.
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1 comment:
While I agree that MLS should be in business for themselves, I would think they should help out the MNT when they can, and understand that the MNT relationship should be symbiotic.
MLS builds American players, giving them a domestic league that helps prepare them for international competition. MNT offers a way for MLSers to play against the best in the world, and more importantly get name recognition out there, which in turn only helps MLS.
With that in mind, MLS clubs should lookout for themselves and put out the best team possible. I agree that they should always actively try to win, however the success of the MNT and the success of MLS are intertwined at this point. They are seperating themselves for use, but that dynamic is there which can't be said for other sports in the states.
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