Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Eulogy for Chivas USA
Chivas USA: a club that was supposed to capture the immense Latino population of Los Angeles, and make them as an alternative to the posh-sounding LA Galaxy. The club has been through some highs and some lows, most notably losing in the Western Conference Semifinals in all of the years they made the MLS playoffs. They have one of the best MLS affiliated academies, but they failed to capture the LA market in the way they wanted to. This is not normally a political blog, but it must be said that politics is the main reason for the unpopularity of Chivas to the intended market. Firstly, the name, without anyone knowing at the time, would alienate all Latinos who aren't Chivas Guadalajara fans, or fans of any other Mexican team. Chivas owner Jorge Vergara has come out multiple times and said that Chivas USA was supposed to be the MLS team for Latinos to come and work. They're the only team to have a website all in Spanish with Spanish-speaking beat reporters and the like. However, there was a news story from a fair bit ago about Chivas being sued for discrimination due to firing certain staff members for their inability to speak Spanish, which was definitely a black mark on the team, and also on MLS. Despite not being the biggest MLS fan (for other reasons if you've read my previous posts), I'm glad that this experiment is over. It will allow the league with its new investors to begin LA2 with a fresh clean slate and a (hopefully) vibrant base with which to draw fans. Lastly, I would like to make a special mention to the Chivas supporters group The Black Army for their unwavering support of their team even through such difficult times. I hope that when the LA2 investors come out to LA, they will have a sit-down with all of you to figure out your best solution. It's not my place to come up with a solution, but for your sake, I hope the investors have their ears open to your ideas for branding, marketing, and merchandise. If the rumors are true that Vincent Tan will get involved, then I hope that at least one of you is a Cardiff supporter so you can get the "Tan Out" banners ready.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Pay to Play: The Kryptonite of Youth Soccer
First, just some raw numbers I got off the MD State Youth Soccer Association website:
To apply for a tryout with the MD ODP program (my personal feelings about ODP aside):
$50 fee; must be paid by credit or debit card
$12 fee to register to become an official MSYSA player (also to be recognized by US Youth Soccer)
Those fees do not include costs of joining clubs or other efforts.
This helps no one succeed or fail based on soccer ability; more like helping the suburban child have an activity outside in which to participate. I can't think of one senior national team regular who played outside of this system (please let me know).
Now, you're asking: Why are you bringing this up?
My response: look at all of the athletes in the inner city who play other sports, or those people in the streets with nothing to do other than illegal activities. Baltimore has the second-worst crime rate of any inner city (to Detroit) and most children in the city have extracurricular things they have to worry about which they should not have to worry about. I'm talking about the children with single-parent homes, displaced children, abandoned children, and those children who are homeless. A week ago, Sports Illustrated's cover story was on those homeless athletes who will be playing sports in college. I'm not talking about them. I'm talking about the 6-year old whose only source of belonging to anything is his brother's gang involvement which is the main breadwinner of the house. I'm talking about the guy who always gets picked last in pick-up basketball or football because he's too short. Here's my way to fix the major issue of pay-to-play, and how to get African-American children to play soccer outside:
1. Get each state to hire a scout (approved by a committee composing of Jurgen Klinsmann and scouts who look at the current youth national team set-up) to go around the inner cities at night and look for the kids who get picked last, etc.
2. Establish soccer fields in public parks that are well-maintained and have balls and equipment available for free. This could be where the scout could begin his search.
3. Get Messi and Ronaldo's faces on billboards and their salaries so that everyone can see how much they make... alongside the highest-paid Americans overeseas. This might help the youth to realize that there is real money to be made in soccer.
4. When a good inner city player is found, he will be placed on a list circulated to all of the area clubs. They must allow the player to play for free, and they will receive a financial bonus of $3,000 for every one they get in and develop. This will greatly offset costs of the other club members and it will give the inner city player some friends and connections outside of his little world.
Beyond that, let the kid decide how his path goes. Ultimately, we want to develop the best soccer players, so if the inner city person wants to leave for another sport, that's fine. The club gets to keep the bonus.
That's just a little piece on the pay-to-play system. I'd welcome your thoughts.
To apply for a tryout with the MD ODP program (my personal feelings about ODP aside):
$50 fee; must be paid by credit or debit card
$12 fee to register to become an official MSYSA player (also to be recognized by US Youth Soccer)
Those fees do not include costs of joining clubs or other efforts.
This helps no one succeed or fail based on soccer ability; more like helping the suburban child have an activity outside in which to participate. I can't think of one senior national team regular who played outside of this system (please let me know).
Now, you're asking: Why are you bringing this up?
My response: look at all of the athletes in the inner city who play other sports, or those people in the streets with nothing to do other than illegal activities. Baltimore has the second-worst crime rate of any inner city (to Detroit) and most children in the city have extracurricular things they have to worry about which they should not have to worry about. I'm talking about the children with single-parent homes, displaced children, abandoned children, and those children who are homeless. A week ago, Sports Illustrated's cover story was on those homeless athletes who will be playing sports in college. I'm not talking about them. I'm talking about the 6-year old whose only source of belonging to anything is his brother's gang involvement which is the main breadwinner of the house. I'm talking about the guy who always gets picked last in pick-up basketball or football because he's too short. Here's my way to fix the major issue of pay-to-play, and how to get African-American children to play soccer outside:
1. Get each state to hire a scout (approved by a committee composing of Jurgen Klinsmann and scouts who look at the current youth national team set-up) to go around the inner cities at night and look for the kids who get picked last, etc.
2. Establish soccer fields in public parks that are well-maintained and have balls and equipment available for free. This could be where the scout could begin his search.
3. Get Messi and Ronaldo's faces on billboards and their salaries so that everyone can see how much they make... alongside the highest-paid Americans overeseas. This might help the youth to realize that there is real money to be made in soccer.
4. When a good inner city player is found, he will be placed on a list circulated to all of the area clubs. They must allow the player to play for free, and they will receive a financial bonus of $3,000 for every one they get in and develop. This will greatly offset costs of the other club members and it will give the inner city player some friends and connections outside of his little world.
Beyond that, let the kid decide how his path goes. Ultimately, we want to develop the best soccer players, so if the inner city person wants to leave for another sport, that's fine. The club gets to keep the bonus.
That's just a little piece on the pay-to-play system. I'd welcome your thoughts.
Monday, October 20, 2014
In Defense of Bianchi, et al. and Raul to Cosmos
If you haven't read Kevin Draper's Deadspin piece, I suggest you do so before continuing.
Warning: Most of this will be a rant. Read at your own risk.
Deadspin just came out with a piece on the firing of Kevin Bianchi, the former beat reporter for the Colorado Rapids for MLSsoccer.com. He was employed by MLS, and could not write too negatively on the Rapids, and he could not advocate for the firing of any Rapids employee. Before I get to the main issue at hand, let me start with an ideological point. Why are US leagues so uptight about the content on their website? They could have put at the bottom of the website: "The contents of this website are the views and opinions of the writers themselves and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Major League Soccer, its partners, subsidiaries, sponsors, and teams; nor do they reflect the opinions of the United States Soccer Federation or the Canadian Soccer Association and their partners, affiliates, or sponsors, when appropriate." That quote removes any liability from the league for anything posted to their website regarding those three major things, and it makes the writers responsible for their work, and they would be free to write anything they wished to write about their subject.
Now, to the meat of the story. According to the aforementioned article, Bianchi was fired by MLS at the Rapids' behest. That in and of itself is completely wrong to do to a beat reporter who attended every home game, every practice, and every event, and that is hard to ask for someone who has to do it for such a bad team as the Rapids. Next point is about the e-mails, which are embedded into the article, and you can read them for yourself. Bianchi overall was very cordial in the e-mails, and very kind. I got the same impression from the president of the Rapids, but that's not the point. The point is that all of this was caused by a tweet:
The other major news today is that the New York Cosmos have signed Raul, the legendary player from Real Madrid. This is another example of the Cosmos putting their money where their mouth is (collectively) and signing a big-name player. What's shocking here is that no MLS team even tried for his services. Apparently, MLS as more worried about a beat reporter straying from the company line that the Cosmos were able to grab a legendary player right from under their collective noses.
Warning: Most of this will be a rant. Read at your own risk.
Deadspin just came out with a piece on the firing of Kevin Bianchi, the former beat reporter for the Colorado Rapids for MLSsoccer.com. He was employed by MLS, and could not write too negatively on the Rapids, and he could not advocate for the firing of any Rapids employee. Before I get to the main issue at hand, let me start with an ideological point. Why are US leagues so uptight about the content on their website? They could have put at the bottom of the website: "The contents of this website are the views and opinions of the writers themselves and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Major League Soccer, its partners, subsidiaries, sponsors, and teams; nor do they reflect the opinions of the United States Soccer Federation or the Canadian Soccer Association and their partners, affiliates, or sponsors, when appropriate." That quote removes any liability from the league for anything posted to their website regarding those three major things, and it makes the writers responsible for their work, and they would be free to write anything they wished to write about their subject.
Now, to the meat of the story. According to the aforementioned article, Bianchi was fired by MLS at the Rapids' behest. That in and of itself is completely wrong to do to a beat reporter who attended every home game, every practice, and every event, and that is hard to ask for someone who has to do it for such a bad team as the Rapids. Next point is about the e-mails, which are embedded into the article, and you can read them for yourself. Bianchi overall was very cordial in the e-mails, and very kind. I got the same impression from the president of the Rapids, but that's not the point. The point is that all of this was caused by a tweet:
@JDSportsfan85 @ColoradoRapids Say it once, say it again: Front office deserves much more blame than coaching staff.
— Chris Bianchi (@Rapids_News) October 7, 2014
Obviously, the FO would be mad about receiving criticism, but there's a way to handle that criticism in a healthy way, and firing the person is not a healthy way of doing things. I wish I was the editor of the Denver Post because I'd hire him in a heartbeat.The other major news today is that the New York Cosmos have signed Raul, the legendary player from Real Madrid. This is another example of the Cosmos putting their money where their mouth is (collectively) and signing a big-name player. What's shocking here is that no MLS team even tried for his services. Apparently, MLS as more worried about a beat reporter straying from the company line that the Cosmos were able to grab a legendary player right from under their collective noses.
Friday, October 17, 2014
Pictures
ESPNs J.A. Adande's thoughts on #ProRelForUSA >>> pic.twitter.com/paZOedaGfO
— Bearded One (@THEChrisKessell) October 15, 2014
Adrian Melville of ESPNFC thinks #ProRelForUSA is best way to uncover all the talent >>> pic.twitter.com/IPrEKiusjl
— Bearded One (@THEChrisKessell) October 13, 2014
NBCSN's Robbie Mustoe's feelings on #ProRelForUSA pic.twitter.com/F2vus3PG7x
— Bearded One (@THEChrisKessell) October 15, 2014
ESPNFC's Jonathan Harris-Bass thinks #ProRelForUSA could improve MLS play >>> pic.twitter.com/o6gUUldkfx
— Bearded One (@THEChrisKessell) October 15, 2014
Luke James of Prost Amerika's feelings on #ProRelForUSA moving game forward>>> pic.twitter.com/YG5imsUaY3
— Bearded One (@THEChrisKessell) October 15, 2014
@THEChrisKessell @IanDarke thank you! Now let's see the credentials of the opposition.
— Robson Borba(@Rborba23) November 7, 2014Why Pro-Rel Take 2
After looking at a reader's comments to me on Twitter, I have to say that I have failed in answering my own question the first time. I will leave my first entry up so all of you can look at it. Also, I have failed to analyze the issue more fully and come to grips with all of the problems that US soccer has, and how pro-rel can fix some (if not all) of those problems. Here are the problems, and how pro-rel can help fix them:
- Development of young players
Pro-rel can aid the development of young players by allowing those players to be loaned out to smaller clubs in lower divisions to gain play time and to allow them to develop. Clubs all over the world do this, and MLS is trying to do this with their MLS-USL agreement, but those teams with affiliations at the bottom of the USL table have nothing to play for, so they tank. This IMO does nothing up help the young loanee develop because none of his minutes would be meaningful to the success (or failure) of that club. Obviously, the big counterexample would be Dom Dwyer, who last season led Orlando City to a USL Pro Championship. However, for every Dem Dwyer, there are countless others who, for one reason or another, do not work out with their parent club or their loan club, and are therefore cast out of the system entirely. The major case here is Danny Szetela. He has fought through injury to get his career back on track. In 2013, he was playing for Icon FC. In 2014, he's playing for the New York Cosmos in the NASL. This is his first year of playing pro soccer since before his major injuries. Another good example for young kids to follow is the Rickie Lambert story: cut from the Liverpool academy at age 17, worked in a factory and playing non-league soccer, then was discovered again by Southampton, and now he's back at Liverpool FC playing in the first team. He only got back into it through hard work and determination.
Part 2 of the youth development problem is the inconsistent coaching issue at the ODP level. As Gary Kleiban has noted lots of times, he play a Barcelona-style formation and tactics with his U12s, and they seem to pick up the style despite retractors saying that it's impossible (this according to his Twitter page). Often times, coaches pick the best athletes, not necessarily the best soccer players, and drill them into a style of play similar to that of Stoke City under Tony Pulis. Others pick the best soccer players, and they develop those players by focusing not on winning, but on the development of each player.
The next issue is the development gap from 18-21 years old. Most Americans want to go to college, and parents believe that college is not just the best option, but the option. My cousin currently plays soccer for an U14 team (he's 12), and his parents both want him to seek out a soccer career if and only if he goes to college first. While that may not be a bad thing for their personal lives, players like my cousin who have potential to turn pro should have the opportunity at a young age to go to an academy and be able to accomplish everything they wish to accomplish in soccer. MLS has attempted to solve that problem by having their teams affiliate with USL Pro teams or having teams start their own USL Pro teams. While that may work for those clubs, why can't clubs just promote their players and deal with them without using a quasi-loan system?
- Tanking
Currently, especially in MLS, there is a massive problem with tanking, the process where you lose games on purpose to gain the highest draft pick. In a pro/rel system, if you "tank", you get punished by going own to the division below. Relegation is a massive punishment as it would require the club to start over again paying people half of what they're paying them now. As we see today, DC United have gone from worst to first in the MLS Eastern Conference by using their parachute payment of finishing last the year before. However, how many times does that happen in leagues where a lack of pro-rel exists?
- Not adhering to the FIFA dates
This is more of a league issue than a US soccer issue, but MLS has not followed the FIFA calendar since its inception (with the exception of taking a two-week break for the World Cup Group Stages).This leads to Jurgen Klinsmann being falsely forced to compromise with MLS to take their players when they have important league games to play in to determine playoff seeding. (In a previous blog entry, I mention that Klinsmann doesn't have to do that at all, per USSF guidelines.) While this may be my weakest point to make, if a new D1 arises, it must adhere to the FIFA dates in order for it to be a serious league IMO.
Those are the three points I wanted to make for now, I'll come out with more later about the State of US Soccer under the current system.
- Development of young players
Pro-rel can aid the development of young players by allowing those players to be loaned out to smaller clubs in lower divisions to gain play time and to allow them to develop. Clubs all over the world do this, and MLS is trying to do this with their MLS-USL agreement, but those teams with affiliations at the bottom of the USL table have nothing to play for, so they tank. This IMO does nothing up help the young loanee develop because none of his minutes would be meaningful to the success (or failure) of that club. Obviously, the big counterexample would be Dom Dwyer, who last season led Orlando City to a USL Pro Championship. However, for every Dem Dwyer, there are countless others who, for one reason or another, do not work out with their parent club or their loan club, and are therefore cast out of the system entirely. The major case here is Danny Szetela. He has fought through injury to get his career back on track. In 2013, he was playing for Icon FC. In 2014, he's playing for the New York Cosmos in the NASL. This is his first year of playing pro soccer since before his major injuries. Another good example for young kids to follow is the Rickie Lambert story: cut from the Liverpool academy at age 17, worked in a factory and playing non-league soccer, then was discovered again by Southampton, and now he's back at Liverpool FC playing in the first team. He only got back into it through hard work and determination.
Part 2 of the youth development problem is the inconsistent coaching issue at the ODP level. As Gary Kleiban has noted lots of times, he play a Barcelona-style formation and tactics with his U12s, and they seem to pick up the style despite retractors saying that it's impossible (this according to his Twitter page). Often times, coaches pick the best athletes, not necessarily the best soccer players, and drill them into a style of play similar to that of Stoke City under Tony Pulis. Others pick the best soccer players, and they develop those players by focusing not on winning, but on the development of each player.
The next issue is the development gap from 18-21 years old. Most Americans want to go to college, and parents believe that college is not just the best option, but the option. My cousin currently plays soccer for an U14 team (he's 12), and his parents both want him to seek out a soccer career if and only if he goes to college first. While that may not be a bad thing for their personal lives, players like my cousin who have potential to turn pro should have the opportunity at a young age to go to an academy and be able to accomplish everything they wish to accomplish in soccer. MLS has attempted to solve that problem by having their teams affiliate with USL Pro teams or having teams start their own USL Pro teams. While that may work for those clubs, why can't clubs just promote their players and deal with them without using a quasi-loan system?
- Tanking
Currently, especially in MLS, there is a massive problem with tanking, the process where you lose games on purpose to gain the highest draft pick. In a pro/rel system, if you "tank", you get punished by going own to the division below. Relegation is a massive punishment as it would require the club to start over again paying people half of what they're paying them now. As we see today, DC United have gone from worst to first in the MLS Eastern Conference by using their parachute payment of finishing last the year before. However, how many times does that happen in leagues where a lack of pro-rel exists?
- Not adhering to the FIFA dates
This is more of a league issue than a US soccer issue, but MLS has not followed the FIFA calendar since its inception (with the exception of taking a two-week break for the World Cup Group Stages).This leads to Jurgen Klinsmann being falsely forced to compromise with MLS to take their players when they have important league games to play in to determine playoff seeding. (In a previous blog entry, I mention that Klinsmann doesn't have to do that at all, per USSF guidelines.) While this may be my weakest point to make, if a new D1 arises, it must adhere to the FIFA dates in order for it to be a serious league IMO.
Those are the three points I wanted to make for now, I'll come out with more later about the State of US Soccer under the current system.
Changing the Soccer Pyramid: A Pro/Rel System
Buckminster Fuller once said, "You never change things by fighting an existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete." Here is a model that will make the current state of US soccer obsolete: the USAFL (United States Association Football Leagues). They plan on setting up a pro/rel structure in which clubs can enter into their system at the lowest level and progress their way up. They will start by having 3 divisions: a local, state, and regional, and they will progress those levels up as more states and regions get involved. Once they get established, we will truly have a pro/rel system in which you can start in your state/county league then progress up into D1. (USAFL website)
That is one viable option for a new system. Let me know what you think about their system in the comments section below., and also let me know of any other alternatives to a pro/rel system, with or without MLS.
That is one viable option for a new system. Let me know what you think about their system in the comments section below., and also let me know of any other alternatives to a pro/rel system, with or without MLS.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
NASL Week 25 Playoff Scenarios
Let me start by linking you to the NASL Schedule.
Eliminated: Indy Eleven, Atlanta Silverbacks, Ottawa Fury (due to TB-CAR H2H this week putting the Magic Number to 36 -- thanks to the club for pointing that out)
In Danger of Elimination: Tampa Bay Rowdies
Clinched: Minnesota United (as Spring 2014 champions), San Antonio Scorpions (at-large)
Now, let's do these scenarios in order of difficulty for all teams who aren't eliminated or haven't clinched.
San Antonio Scorpions: Win all 3 remaining games AND Minnesota United loses another one. (They play one head-to-head)
New York Cosmos: Win against Minnesota United and they're in. Simple as that.
Fort Lauderdale Strikers: Win/draw 2 out of 3 AND Carolina loses/draws 2 out of 3.
Carolina Railhawks: Win all 3 and they're in.
FC Edmonton: Win all 3 AND Fort Lauderdale loses at least 2 out of 3 and draws the other AND Carolina loses all 3.
Tampa Bay Rowdies: Win all 3 AND Fort Lauderdale loses all 3.
I'm grateful to the Soccer Deacon for checking my math on the last two teams.
Eliminated: Indy Eleven, Atlanta Silverbacks, Ottawa Fury (due to TB-CAR H2H this week putting the Magic Number to 36 -- thanks to the club for pointing that out)
In Danger of Elimination: Tampa Bay Rowdies
Clinched: Minnesota United (as Spring 2014 champions), San Antonio Scorpions (at-large)
Now, let's do these scenarios in order of difficulty for all teams who aren't eliminated or haven't clinched.
San Antonio Scorpions: Win all 3 remaining games AND Minnesota United loses another one. (They play one head-to-head)
New York Cosmos: Win against Minnesota United and they're in. Simple as that.
Fort Lauderdale Strikers: Win/draw 2 out of 3 AND Carolina loses/draws 2 out of 3.
Carolina Railhawks: Win all 3 and they're in.
FC Edmonton: Win all 3 AND Fort Lauderdale loses at least 2 out of 3 and draws the other AND Carolina loses all 3.
Tampa Bay Rowdies: Win all 3 AND Fort Lauderdale loses all 3.
I'm grateful to the Soccer Deacon for checking my math on the last two teams.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Garber's Teleconference: My Thoughts
First off, in case you wanted a link, here it is.
Don Garber wants to defend the MLS's players, teams, and owners, and he cites accountability... he criticizes US national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann for his comments against MLS. He claims that MLS and US soccer are one, but that is not true whatsoever. Klinsmann can call in any eligible player he wants, and, per the USSF Pro Division Guidelines, any US club must release players for US duty. So, I don't understand how Don Garber can get away with the comments he made. Don Garber is the commissioner of MLS, so he is doing his job well in that context, but the United States Soccer Federation is more important in my opinion, and MLS is (as I've described in my previous blog) a company that runs its league like a business, not like a soccer league from anywhere else in the world. Honestly, I think that Garber should be made to apologize for his asinine comments toward our US soccer ehad coach/technical director.
Don Garber wants to defend the MLS's players, teams, and owners, and he cites accountability... he criticizes US national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann for his comments against MLS. He claims that MLS and US soccer are one, but that is not true whatsoever. Klinsmann can call in any eligible player he wants, and, per the USSF Pro Division Guidelines, any US club must release players for US duty. So, I don't understand how Don Garber can get away with the comments he made. Don Garber is the commissioner of MLS, so he is doing his job well in that context, but the United States Soccer Federation is more important in my opinion, and MLS is (as I've described in my previous blog) a company that runs its league like a business, not like a soccer league from anywhere else in the world. Honestly, I think that Garber should be made to apologize for his asinine comments toward our US soccer ehad coach/technical director.
Why Pro/Rel, and Why Now. My First Blog Entry
Before truly beginning, I would just like to introduce myself with a few sentences. My name is J.T. Dulany, I'm 21 years old, and I am a political science major at Loyola University Maryland. I am a massive soccer fan, and I think that all US clubs should have the same independence and chances that any other club in most of the world has: to rise from obscurity to become a top division club. I played soccer only for 2 years, but that has never stopped me from having an opinion on the beautiful game.
I would like to submit to you my arguments for promotion/relegation in US Soccer, not just with(out?) MLS. My first argument is that without pro/rel, there is little to no motivation for teams to finish in the bottom of their divisions. The key example is Sunderland last season: they worked their tails off to become only the second club in the history of the Barclays Premier League to survive the threat of relegation after being last on Boxing Day. I contend that without pro/rel, Sunderland would have just tanked the season for rebuilding purposes.
My second argument is that without pro/rel, the only way you can even face an opponent in a different division as you would be in the cup competitions. The NASL has taken the US Open Cup seriously since their relaunch, and it has produced some MLS "giant killings" in the competition. In other countries with pro/rel, you could face those other teams in the different divisions in the coming years after promotions or relegations.
My third argument is that the United States is not the "land of opportunity" for all in terms of soccer without pro/rel. We as a country are founded on the principles of equal opportunity and a free market for all. Without pro/rel in US soccer, the US Soccer Federation is exercising the exact opposite principles: an oligarchy(or "caste system", as noted soccer personality Ted Westervelt has coined it) and a monopolistic market on top division clubs perpetrated by MLS to stymie lower-division clubs from being able to achieve the heights that they dream are possible. My local team, the Baltimore Bohemians, play in the USL PDL's Mid-Atlantic Conference, and they operate as a college summer league team, recruiting from (mostly) Baltimore-area colleges to field their team. I watched them play in their 2014 US Open Cup game against the USL Pro's Harrisburg City Islanders, and the supporters group told me that that game was a throwaway game due to the lack of possibility of winning it, and the ability to focus on the PDL (in which they failed miserably in the 2014 season). To me, that's a team running scared of other competition and the possibility of playing higher competition. (The winner advanced to play the Philadelphia Union of MLS at PPL Park.) From my observations of watching the game, the Bohs looked outclassed on the field, but they had a tremendous fighting spirit in them. If we had pro/rel, the Bohs would have competed in the 2013 PDL National Championship playoffs where they could have been promoted to the USL Pro. ZI understand the counter-arguments, and my answer is this: If MLS does not want to join in the pro/rel system, they can continue operating as they are, side-by-side with a pro/rel system, and we'll see how that goes. We have 200+ clubs in US soccer that could be ready for pro/rel right now if implemented, so why not now? The only thing standing in certain clubs' way is the financial aspect. My solution: Let each club find its healthy level of interest and fight to stay there. If they get promoted, great! If not, that's fine too. Let clubs be independent of one another and of a restrictive league such as MLS.
(Note: I'll give my thoughts on Don Garber's press conference at a later date.)
I would like to submit to you my arguments for promotion/relegation in US Soccer, not just with(out?) MLS. My first argument is that without pro/rel, there is little to no motivation for teams to finish in the bottom of their divisions. The key example is Sunderland last season: they worked their tails off to become only the second club in the history of the Barclays Premier League to survive the threat of relegation after being last on Boxing Day. I contend that without pro/rel, Sunderland would have just tanked the season for rebuilding purposes.
My second argument is that without pro/rel, the only way you can even face an opponent in a different division as you would be in the cup competitions. The NASL has taken the US Open Cup seriously since their relaunch, and it has produced some MLS "giant killings" in the competition. In other countries with pro/rel, you could face those other teams in the different divisions in the coming years after promotions or relegations.
My third argument is that the United States is not the "land of opportunity" for all in terms of soccer without pro/rel. We as a country are founded on the principles of equal opportunity and a free market for all. Without pro/rel in US soccer, the US Soccer Federation is exercising the exact opposite principles: an oligarchy(or "caste system", as noted soccer personality Ted Westervelt has coined it) and a monopolistic market on top division clubs perpetrated by MLS to stymie lower-division clubs from being able to achieve the heights that they dream are possible. My local team, the Baltimore Bohemians, play in the USL PDL's Mid-Atlantic Conference, and they operate as a college summer league team, recruiting from (mostly) Baltimore-area colleges to field their team. I watched them play in their 2014 US Open Cup game against the USL Pro's Harrisburg City Islanders, and the supporters group told me that that game was a throwaway game due to the lack of possibility of winning it, and the ability to focus on the PDL (in which they failed miserably in the 2014 season). To me, that's a team running scared of other competition and the possibility of playing higher competition. (The winner advanced to play the Philadelphia Union of MLS at PPL Park.) From my observations of watching the game, the Bohs looked outclassed on the field, but they had a tremendous fighting spirit in them. If we had pro/rel, the Bohs would have competed in the 2013 PDL National Championship playoffs where they could have been promoted to the USL Pro. ZI understand the counter-arguments, and my answer is this: If MLS does not want to join in the pro/rel system, they can continue operating as they are, side-by-side with a pro/rel system, and we'll see how that goes. We have 200+ clubs in US soccer that could be ready for pro/rel right now if implemented, so why not now? The only thing standing in certain clubs' way is the financial aspect. My solution: Let each club find its healthy level of interest and fight to stay there. If they get promoted, great! If not, that's fine too. Let clubs be independent of one another and of a restrictive league such as MLS.
(Note: I'll give my thoughts on Don Garber's press conference at a later date.)
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