Admittedly I was depressed over the first games of this past weekend in MLS. Low attendance and poor environments in first leg action did not do alot to bring impact and excitement.
From the abysmal attendance at Gillette Stadium ( 5000 fans please, 3000 at most my friend was at the game) for Chicago and NE on ESPN2, to the dizzying football lines and 12,000 at Giants Stadium for the Dynamo and the wonder of it all.
I was even disappointed that the vaunted RSL fans did not turn out better for their first ever playoff match at Rio Tinto Stadium dramatically won in the 90th minute on a YURA MOVSISYAN goal. At least this surface looked good.
The saving grace kind of was in Kansas City was the smallness of the stadium which is a baseball park. Community America Park that is. No way 10,400 fans were at that game yet it still had some environment because of its small size. The reason I know this was because I was there calling the game for HDNET.

THIS WILL COME AND GO AND THIS WEEKEND WILL IMPROVE IN MLS AND THE OPENING GAME WILL BE CONSIDERED A WASH YET WHAT ALL NEED TO KNOW IS THAT THE OPENING WEEKEND WAS DAMAGING TO MLS AND THE SPORT OVERALL. SO WHO IS ACCOUNTABLE HERE? CERTAINLY ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE NOT DRAWING FANS MUST NOT BE INVESTING IN GROWING THEIR TEAM. THE EXCUSES ARE TIRING…FROM WEATHER, TO COMPETITION, TO NFL TEAMS ETC., TO LOCATION IT IS TIRING. MLS HAS GOT TO BECOME MORE MATURE AND FACE IT’S PROBLEMS WITH A SENSE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRUTH TO ITS FANS. IF IT DOES THE GAME WILL GROW. NOW I COULD BE MORE DETAILED ABOUT WHY IMHO I THINK CERTAIN MARKETS ARE NOT PRODUCING MORE FANS BUT THAT IS FOR ANOTHER PIECE. I LITERALLY WAS TRYING TO SELL AN EX PAT ENGLISHMAN IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD THE OTHER NIGHT ON THE DYNAMO AND MLS BUT CAUGHT MYSELF FROM TELLING HIM TO GO HOME AND TAKE A LOOK AT MLS PRIME TIME THURSDAY ON ESPN2 BECAUSE I KNEW THAT THERE WOULD BE NO FANS IN NE. INSTEAD I HAVE INVITED HIM TO THE DYNAMO PLAYOFFS.

* SO WHAT IS TAKING THEM SO LONG !!!!
THE county officials that have the ball in there court for the future of the stadium downtown are EL FRANCO LEE and SYLVIA GARCIA.
THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A LEGACY FOR THIS SPORT. THERE IS NO NEGOTIATION RIGHT NOW, THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS ON THE TABLE AT 10 MILLION AND WOULD COME BACK TO AEG THROUGH A TAX CALLED TIRI (TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMEN ZONE). IT IS READY TO BE DECIDED ON.
JUST AN ADDITIONAL NOTE: BOTH EL FRANCO LEE AND SYLVIA GARCIA ARE GRADUATES OF TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY WHOM WOULD LIKE TO PLAY THEIR FOOTBALL IN THIS STADIUM.
FANS NEED TO STAND AND DELIVER NOW AND BE HEARD ON THIS ISSUE. MAKE YOUR PRESCENCE KNOW AS YOUR TEAM HEADS TOWARDS A HISTORIC THIRD STRAIGHT MLS CUP.

BIG WEEKEND!

Every team heads into this weekend in MLS with a shot at going to a conference final! This is good news! Everyone has something to play for!
The urgency and the finality of these games will make it a big weekend in MLS.
Not to mention that games will move back into real soccer stadiums in most cases with the HOME DEPOT CENTER for CHIVAS USA and RSL, TOYOTA PARK this Thursday for CHICAGO AND NE, CREW STADIUM for COLUMBUS and KC and ROBERTSON STADIUM for the DYNAMO and NEW YORK.
Dynamo officials are expecting a sell-out.

*GOOD NEWS

Youth soccer groups EDDOA and PDF (Player Development Friendlies run by coaching directors) have both re-scheduled games this Sunday.
Sadly Bay Area Youth Soccer Association (BAYSA), Houston Youth Soccer Association (HYSA) and Timberline Youth Soccer Association (TYSA) have not elected to do the same.
I have always thought that these associations bear responsibility for the growth of the game…not just administering it but growing it with good player development decisions.
Re-scheduling games for these rare playoff moments are a no brainer and proves that some organizations understand the value of the Dynamo and professional soccer as an ally. Essentially they understand the big picture. Sure some people are not going to agree with the decision.
Sadly BAYSA, HYSA and TYSA are not bold and visionary thinkers.

*CARLOS BILARDO may just be the safety net for DIEGO MARADONA but he is backing the legendary “player”. Notice I said player, Maradona has been less than impressive off the field so it is a wonder how he will manage a squad of multi-millionaires. Bilardo has defended the appointment of Maradona claiming that a player of his caliber or stature is qualified to coach any team even without previous managerial experience. Few high profile players have ever become great managers and a few that come to mind include JOHAN CRUYFF (Barcelona) and FRANZ BECKENBAUER(Germany). Much of it comes down to managing ego and human beings.
BILARDO though is the ace in the hole here for ARGENTINA.
For all of you Diego for manager lovers….GO DIEGO , GO!!

*We all know that former Arsenal start FREDDY LJUNGBERG has joined SEATTLE as their DP but what about a manager. It is pretty clear that if SEATTLE were looking outside of the league they would have hired that person already. Sigi Schmid has been mentioned, Preki also but sources say that PAUL MARINER the NE REVOLUTION assistant has interviewed as well for SEATTLE. We all know that MARINER is one of the top prospects for a coaching job in MLS along with JOHN SPENCER of the DYNAMO. The quickest way to become a head coach is not the way that DIEGO got the job for ARGENTINA. It is by doing your time and learning the ropes as an assistant. Amazing how many ex-players think they are just ready to job in and win MLS CUPS……a sure sign of an unhealthy ego and a sure sign why not to hire someone. Only PETER NOWAK of DC successfully navigated those waters.

*THE DYNAMO will take on NEW YORK this SUNDAY at ROBERTSON STADIUM with an afternoon kick-off slated due to television. UH will play TULANE in college football on the field the day before. Lets hope someone will roll this field after that game so the surface is in decent shape. Just another reason why fans need to step up in support of a stadium.
Things are looking good for the ORANGE who I believe will win a third straight MLS CUP and MAKE HISTORY, I am calling it here and am firm in this belief for a number of reasons. Just call it destiny! Get past New York and you are looking at a home WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH against either CHIVAS USA or REAL SALT LAKE…..mmmm

* ROMA has been a nightmare in Serie “A” play and will take on CHELSEA. The Roma bus got bombarded this past weekend by 100 fans who are “ticked” to say the least at their poor serie “A” start which got worse in a 2-0 loss to JUVENTUS on the weekend. LUCIANO SPALLETTI is on the chopping block and times are not good in Rome.
The other match of the day tomorrow in Champions League is LIVERPOOL at home to Atletico Madrid with FERNANDO TORRES potentially playing against his old team.

My picks for Wednesday watching include: CELTIC AND MANCHESTER UNITED (Catch this one with Celtic fans and Bull and Bear)
REAL MADRID AND JUVENTUS