A lot of fans in the greater Philadelphia area were hoping to root for Bolton as a second team and many kept tabs on Seba’s season thus far up north, supporting him all the way. That kind of support got a lot more complicated today as the NYRB officially announced a trade which will send Sebastian Le Toux to Harrison New Jersey and Jamaican winger Dane Richards to Vancouver. The move allows the Red Bull to fill a gap as Richards had been replaced by Jan Gunar Soli on the wing of late due to solid RB play from Brandon Barklage. Richards will be able to play alongside Jamaican countryman Darren Mattocks and add much speed to a hole at right wing for Vancouver. It seems to be a very good trade for both teams, but for the Union and their supporters its hard to imagine. The best player in the first three years of our clubs existence now plays for our only real rival. Is it possible to still root for a player you respect as much as Philly has grown to respect Le Toux when they play for one of the top teams in the league and your biggest rival? The Union play NYRB at Red Bull Arena one week from today, Saturday July 21st, and that question will surely come up more than a few times between then and now.
I’m gonna go ahead and assume that everyone has seen this already but the SoB’s invasion of RBA has reached an entirely new level. Red Bull is welcoming us. This might as well have been a huge white banner of surrender. I understand coordinating with them to put them all in a specific section, but how do you welcome the opposing teams supporters group this openly on your website? Somebody must have lost a bet.
Not that the crowd isn’t important but there’s an even more important game going on on the field. There were two of the top scorers in the league and some of the most promising talent. Le Toux had a hard start to the season but came out on fire as soon as he started. Thierry Henry had a legitimate shot at the Golden Boot until sticking his not-so-golden boot into Roger Espinoza’s back and earned a red-card which means he’ll miss the game. Rafa Marquezz is still Rafa Marquez in name at least. Tim Ream and Juan Agudelo are both fighting for USMNT spots. Luke Rodgers has shown to be the heart of this team. Henry being out means that Dane Richards, still one of the fastest players in the league, or Agudelo one of the most promising young players will start(its assumed it’d be Dane). They’ve got talent and could easily pull off a result at home. The Union will also be missing Veljko Paunovic for this game with a hamstring injury.
And that’s all they need. A tie and the Red Bull are in the playoffs. The Union are already in but have a chance at ending up first in the east in their second year in the league with one of the youngest teams in the league. (As an aside, this team looks good now, but Mwanga, both Farfans, McInerney, MacMath, Okugo, Torres, Pfeffer and a few others could be around fror a long time. They’ve got potential to do big things the next few years, especially if Nowak can keep the core of older players alongside them.) The easiest way for the Union to get the top spot in the east would be a win and a loss or tie by Sporting Kansas City, but here are the possibilities. I went with the top four teams(SKC, Union, Crew and Dynamo) because they’re the only teams that have a chance to move into the top three spots. Red Bull could also end in fourth, but the odds are low and I’m primarily concerned with whether we get first and whether we get a bye. If we win we definitely get a bye, although there are other ways we could get one. Anyone who reads this whole thing, I commend you. To keep it simple for the rst. If the Union win they probably get 1st. If they tie they probably get 2nd. If they lose they probably get third. Its not likely that they wind up without a bye but its possible if they don’t pick up the win tonight. This is as big a game for us as it is for NYRB.
Union Win 51 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Win 50 1. Union 2. Crew 3. Dynamo
Union Win 51 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Tie 48 1. Union 2. Dynamo 3. SKC (Goal Differential)
Union Win 51 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Loss 47 1. Union 2. Dynamo 3. SKC
Union Win 51 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Win 50 1. Union 2. Crew 3. SKC
Union Win 51 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Tie 48 1. Union 2. SKC (Goal Differential-9) 3. Crew
Union Win 51 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Loss 47 1. Union 2. SKC 3. Crew (Head to Head)
Union Win 51 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Win 50 1. Union 2. Crew 3. SKC
Union Win 51 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Tie 48 1. Union 2. SKC(GD-9) 3. Crew
Union Win 51 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Loss 47 1. Union 2. SKC 3. Crew
Union Win 51 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Win 50 1. Union 2. Crew 3. SKC (H2H)
Union Win 51 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Tie 48 1. Union 2. SKC (H2H) 3. Dynamo
Union Win 51 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Loss 47 1. Union 2. SKC (H2H) 3. Dynamo
Union Win 51 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Win 50 1. Union 2. Crew 3. SKC
Union Win 51 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Tie 48 1. Union 2. SKC. 3. Crew
Union Win 51 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Loss 47 1. Union 2. SKC 3. Crew (H2H)
Union Win 51 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Win 50 1.Union 2. Crew 3. SKC
Union Win 51 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Tie 48 1. Union 2. SKC 3. Crew
Union Win 51 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Loss 47 1. Union 2. SKC 3. Crew
Union Win 51 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Win 50 1. SKC (GD-2) 2. Union 3. Crew
Union Win 51 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Tie 48 1. SKC (GD-2) 2. Union 3. Dynamo
Union Win 51 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Loss 47 1. SKC (GD-2) 2. Union 3. Dynamo
Union Win 51 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Win 50 1. SKC (GD-2) 2. Union 3. Crew
Union Win 51 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Tie 48 1. SKC (GD-2) 2. Union 3. Crew
Union Win 51 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Loss 47 1. SKC (GD-2) 2. Union 3. Crew(H2H)
Union Win 51 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Win 50 1. SKC (GD-2) 2. Union 3. Crew
Union Win 51 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Tie 48 1. SKC (GD-2) 2. Union 3. Crew
Union Win 51 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Loss 47 1. SKC (GD-2) 2. Union 3. Crew
Union Tie 49 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Win 50 1. Crew 2. Union (H2H) 3. Dynamo
Union Tie 49 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Tie 48 1. Union (H2H) 2. Dynamo 3. SKC (GD-9)
Union Tie 49 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Loss 47 1. Union (H2H) 2. Dynamo 3. SKC
Union Tie 49 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Win 50 1. Crew 2. Union 3. SKC
Union Tie 49 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Tie 48 1. Union 2. SKC (GD-9) 3. Crew
Union Tie 49 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Loss 47 1. Union 2. SKC 3. Crew (H2H)
Union Tie 49 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Win 50 1. Crew 2. Union 3. SKC
Union Tie 49 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Tie 48 1. Union 2. SKC(GD-9) 3. Crew
Union Tie 49 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Loss 47 1. Union 2. SKC 3. Crew
Union Tie 49 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Win 50 1. Crew 2.SKC (Goals For-5) 3. Union
Union Tie 49 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Tie 48 1. SKC (Goals for-5) 2. Union 3. Dynamo (H2H)
Union Tie 49 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Loss 471. SKC (Goals for-5) 2. Union 3. Dynamo (H2H)
Union Tie 49 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Win 50 1. Crew 2.SKC (Goals for-5) 3. Union
Union Tie 49 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Tie 48 1.SKC (GD-2) 2. Union 3. Crew
Union Tie 49 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Loss 47 1.SKC (Goals for-5) 2. Union 3. Crew (H2H)
Union Tie 49 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Win 50 1. Crew 2.SKC (Goals for-5) 3. Union
Union Tie 49 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Tie 48 1.SKC (Goals for-5) 2. Union 3. Crew (H2H)
Union Tie 49 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Loss 47 1.SKC (Goals for-5) 2. Union 3. Crew (H2H)
Union Tie 49 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Win 50 1. SKC 2. Crew 3. Union(H2H)
Union Tie 49 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Tie 48 1. SKC 2. Union (H2H) 3. Dynamo
Union Tie 49 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Loss 47 1. SKC 2. Union (H2H) 3. Dynamo
Union Tie 49 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Win 50 1. SKC 2. Crew 3. Union
Union Tie 49 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Tie 48 1. SKC 2. Union 3. Crew
Union Tie 49 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Loss 47 1. SKC 2. Union 3. Crew (H2H)
Union Tie 49 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Win 50 1.SKC 2. Crew 3. Union
Union Tie 49 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Tie 48 1. SKC 2. Union 3. Crew
Union Tie 49 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Loss 47 1. SKC 2. Union 3. Crew
Union Loss 48 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Win 50 1. Crew 2. Dynamo 3. SKC (GF-5)
Union Loss 48 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Tie 48 1. Dynamo 2. Crew (H2H) 3. SKC (GF-5)
Union Loss 48 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Loss 47 1. Dynamo 2. SKC (GF-5) 3. Union
Union Loss 48 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Win 50 1. Crew 2. SKC (GF-5) 3. Union
Union Loss 48 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Tie 48 1.Crew (H2H) 2.SKC(GF-5) 3.Union
Union Loss 48 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Loss 47 1. SKC(GF-5)2. Union 3. Crew (H2H)
Union Loss 48 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Win 50 1. Crew 2. SKC(GF-5) 3. Union
Union Loss 48 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Tie 48 1.Crew (H2H) 2.SKC(GF-5) 3.Union
Union Loss 48 SKC Loss 48 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Loss 471. SKC(GF-5)2. Union 3. Crew
Union Loss 48 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Win 50 1. Crew 2. SKC (H2H) 3. Dynamo
Union Loss 48 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Tie 48 1. SKC (H2H) 2. Dynamo 3. Union
Union Loss 48 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Loss 47 1. SKC (H2H) 2. Dynamo 3. Union
Union Loss 48 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Win 50 1. Crew 2. SKC 3. Union
Union Loss 48 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Tie 48 1. SKC 2. Union(GD-9) 3.Crew
Union Loss 48 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Loss 47 1.SKC 2.Union 3.Crew (H2H)
Union Loss 48 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Win 50 1. Crew 2. SKC 3. Union
Union Loss 48 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Tie 48 1. SKC 2. Union(GD-9) 3.Crew
Union Loss 48 SKC Tie 49 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Loss 47 1. SKC 2. Union 3. Crew
Union Loss 48 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Win 50 1. SKC 2. Crew 3. Dynamo
Union Loss 48 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Tie 48 1. SKC 2.Dynamo 3. Union (GD-9)
Union Loss 48 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Win 49 Crew Loss 47 1. SKC 2. Dynamo 3. Union
Union Loss 48 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Win 50 1. SKC 2. Crew 3. Union
Union Loss 48 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Tie 48 1. SKC 2. Union (GD-9) 3. Crew
Union Loss 48 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Tie 47 Crew Loss 47 1. SKC 2. Union 3. Crew (H2H)
Union Loss 48 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Win 50 1. SKC 2. Crew 3. Union
Union Loss 48 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Tie 48 1. SKC 2. Union (GD-9) 3. Crew
Union Loss 48 SKC Win 51 Dynamo Loss 46 Crew Loss 47 1. SKC 2. Union 3. Crew
UPDATE: For clarity, Chad Ochocinco agreed to a four day tryout with Sporting KC. I probably should have mentioned that pre-rant.
As much as I’d love to see the MLS on TV more often… As much as I’d love to see soccer get more attention in this country… As much as I’d love to have more top-level American athletes dedicating their talents to soccer… I don’t want to hear about Chad Ochocinco lining up for Sporting KC. I didn’t want to see Beckham come and bring his glory-train into LA. I was relatively alright with Thierry Henry coming into New York since he didn’t create the attention that Beckham did he merely had it brought onto himself. DP’s can be done right, they can bring in great athletes who otherwise wouldn’t be interested in playing in MLS or showing off their skills to an American audience. MLS does not need Chad Ochocinco. His touchdown celebrations are hilarious. That little bit he did trying to bribe an NFL referee with a dollar he got from a sideline assistant was pure genius. His crossing abilities? His midfield vision? Maybe Chad Ochocinco would be a great MLS player, I’ve heard that he played soccer in high school and was pretty good. I’ve also heard that he was quoted as saying “Due to the NFL lockout, I’m excited to be able to follow my childhood dream of playing for a Major League Soccer team.” Chad Ochocinco is 33, born in 1978. MLS was founded in 1993, it has existed for only 18 years. Chad Ochocinco was 15 at the time so, I guess, it is feasible that he could have found out about the league before it started and when he actually still qualified as a child but either way Chad Ochocinco has never allowed a bit of falsification to get in the way of good publicity.
I have never had a problem with the way that Chad Ochocinco acts, the things he does makes the NFL fun in my mind, but he does not need to bring it to MLS. MLS could use it’s own Chad Ochocinco but bringing in the NFL’s Chad Ochocinco only reinforces the idea that the MLS is a “lower” league than the “big four.” Of course Chad Ochocinco’s presence does guarantee a few more eyes, which is never a bad thing. If he earns his spot go ahead and give it to him, but unless Kansas City thinks that he will be at the very least a top sub, which I can’t imagine him being despite the superb shape I’m sure he’s in, I hope that they don’t bring him in. If he can help the team go for it, but if it’s nothing more than a publicity stunt than it would be a disgrace to what this league has become since Chad Ochocinco was a kid.
Image via Wikipedia
MLS is set to make a major announcement at 10:0o am and to stream a live teleconference at 3:30pm Tuesday, all available information is here.
Basically its another pre-announcement announcement, in the same vein as the announcement before Mondragon and Valdes joined the Union. I have a few guesses at what it might be, but they’re as good as meaningless really.
1. MLS is simply trying to drum up coverage of the schedule announcement, which is due to come out sometime, hopefully sooner rather than later.
2. There’s always the possibility of a new major sponsorship deal, maybe a TV deal something along those lines would definitely get a significant push from MLS. A TV deal in particular is something Garber has been putting a lot of his weight into recently. Hopefully a sponsor shows up that will put MLS into their top priorities, like Versus did for the NHL. It seems like a good investment to get in on the bottom of one of the fastest growing sports leagues in North America
3. I’ve heard speculation that it could be a promotion relegation concept, but I don’t think that makes sense at all. Especially with the Reserve league just restarting, it wouldn’t make any sense to turn that on its head.
4. I’ve also heard talk of changing the schedule to match the European leagues, also would seem horribly timed with all the speculation about Qatar and a potential Winter World Cup that would just force them to adjust it again.
5. Announcing the Cosmos as a 20th team would seem like a logical jump for some, but then another question rises. Why bring Thierry Henry and to a ceremony to welcome a city rival? Henry and Donovan will both be with Garber at the announcement
I honestly can’t figure out what it will be, at the moment I’m assuming its merely a sponsor, or TV deal. Probably something that won’t really have an effect, other than the monetary and what goes along with that, on the day to day on field operations of the league.
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