If you’re looking for a quality sleep aid and don’t want to use drugs like Colin Powell, I have a recommendation for you: Major League Soccer.
Over the weekend, two Prem-lovin’ bloggers — David Hirshey at Deadspin and Garth at Soccernista — tried to watch the opening weekend of MLS. Both reported dozing off by the second half. I feel strangely vindicated by this — even more vindicated than I felt after the dueling Champions Cup collapses of both D.C. United and the Houston Dynamo in Mexico. No wonder MLS is scared of Copa Libertadores. Those teams couldn’t get through Mexico to get to South America!
On the other hand, I couldn’t even sit through a tape-delay of the second half of Monday’s Charlton-Reading match, which ended in a scoreless tie, Reading’s second in 4 games. The Royals have scored 2 goals in their last 5 Premiership matches and earned a meager 2 points in their last 6. It’s starting to remind me of that 2005 Steelers-Ravens game in which Tommy Maddox and Kyle Boller were the starting QBs. That’s not a good thing…
In other Premier League news, Jose Mourinho is talking shit again. This usually leads to a team collapse, which I half expect to happen in Estadio Mestalla any minute now…
8 responses so far ↓
1 Goose // Apr 11, 2007 at 10:20 am
“Those teams couldn’t get through Mexico to get to South America!”
Uh huh, right. Guadalajara made it to the Libertadores semi-final the past two years and Pachuca were champions of last year’s Copa Sudamericana.
I won’t dispute that MLS is off to a slow start this year, but the above comment was ridiculous. Premiership fanboys shouldn’t spout off about shit they don’t understand.
2 Dave // Apr 11, 2007 at 10:40 am
Oh, I understand it perfectly when two MLS teams travel to Mexico and choke like dogs. Do you honestly think Houston and D.C. would do any better against Brazilian and Argentinian clubs? Please.
3 Will // Apr 12, 2007 at 2:34 pm
Dave:
I think we will have a better gauge on relative quality this summer when Superliga gets underway, as then it will be MLS in midseason form and the Mexican teams are in their preseason, though I admit for this purpose it would be nice to have some superliga games in Mexico. If you’re comparing a league top to bottom — and possibly you have no interest in doing so, but I do, so there
— you also need to remember the parity issue. Because of the way MLS is structured, it may be a very long time before Houston and DC have a chance against Chivas and Pachuca, but I think New York and Kansas City might ALREADY do very well against the likes of Santos and Necaxa… or maybe not. The point is, with the vast differences in the way things are done, it’s like comparing apples to, well, PEARS at least, if not oranges. also, check out the linked website to see a very interesting, and actually really informative, way to display the young MLS season standings.
4 Don't be a Eurosnob! // Apr 12, 2007 at 8:14 pm
I watched some of the opening games: Colorado vs. DCU, Chivas vs. TFC, Chicago vs. New England. It wasn’t up to the level of the EPL or the Champions League, of course, but it wasn’t as dull as you guys make out.
MLS is still very much a work in progress. Be patient.
5 Dave // Apr 12, 2007 at 9:06 pm
I’m not a Eurosnob. If anything, I’m a gridiron and Aussie Rules snob. The Premiership is fun, but the NFL and AFL are both more fun to watch, IMHO.
6 a different dave // Apr 22, 2007 at 4:36 am
***”I’m not a Eurosnob. If anything, I’m a gridiron and Aussie Rules snob. The Premiership is fun, but the NFL and AFL are both more fun to watch, IMHO.”***
Haha. Dave, that’s an even more damning admission.
7 a different dave // Apr 22, 2007 at 4:37 am
….of course please insert
smiley face after that last comment…..
8 CeltTexan // Dec 31, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Dave,
Just found your site this morning. As a native Texan who played linebacker and never left the field for anything kickoff, punts or whatever and a guy who grew up with with a maniac Pops that played for OU in the late 60′s…I know a thing or two about competative football regardless of the code on display.
I also was a Texan that played a bit of soccer and these years on I happen to be one of the leaders of our Houston Dynamo’s most tribal and die hard barra (band of brothers) called El Batallon. We sing loud and proud for our Houston soccer men as they rep our culture on a global stage.
When you take a look at the level of play in MLS, do recall that you are comparing a league that is 13 years old to a league like the Prem that is what 118+ years old, or Mexico’s First Division that is 90+ years old. Please take the time to factor that side info when comparing the “action” on display.
If anything, association football as known the world over, has a unique connection between the local men and their team. I trust you already know this. More so during the 90 minutes of play when drums, songs and smoke do add to the “action” on display while watching on TV. The atmosphere on game day here in Houston, that me and my brothers from many nations have created, is now recognized up and down the Americas. Houston’s victories over wealthy Mexican First Division sides like Club America and Pachuca are solid notches on our belt and the players have given us feedback of the home atmosphere they feed off of. When speaking of MLS and the enjoyment from watching it, please as well factor in the backing North American soccer clubs receive and celebrate that support as it is unique in our sports mad culture.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25lAUBggSV4&feature=related
FOOTBALL IS EVERYTHING!
CeltTexan
Dios y Tejas