It's All Garber All The Time In Hades

Somehow I think that Sven-Goran Eriksson is the one who needs to stay off the front pages. He's been very quiet during the England MNT's downtime but that couldn't last as he's got to compete with Mourinho for the sports pages. Yesterday he made a statement that there needs to be a code of conduct for young players.

I just love how Eriksson loves to stick his nose into the dealings of the footcer leagues. I'm wondering when Bruce Arena is finally going to follow suit. While Eriksson takes it overboard it would be nice for our national team coach to even pay attention to MLS besides raiding its players for international tournaments.

It might help matters.

Yesterday MLS Commissioner Don Garber gave his State of the League speech and then took time to answer questions on MLSnet.com.

Sometimes I swear that guy is completely off his nut.

For example, there was a question about MLS expansion to Montreal: "The Montreal Impact of the A-League is clearly becoming a major soccer franchise in canada with it's attendance being this year in the twelve thousands almost each game. We are beating all our records in attendances since a few years, our team has a solid ownership group in Saputo and we even have a brand new soccer specific stadium being built. I was wondering if MLS had ever considered Montreal as a possible expansion city for the years to come?"

Garber's response was typical of his head-in-the-clouds attitude:

"We're very impressed and happy with the success Joe Saputo is having in Montreal and we believe it speaks to potential for the sport in Canada. However, at this point, our efforts have been focused in Toronto."

So back up. In Toronto, they have major issues with a stadium deal, can't get an ownership group together, and draw less than half of what the USL team in Montreal draws. But Garber is committed to TO. Hey Garber, perhaps there's some land under the Brooklyn Bridge you'd like to build a new MetroStars stadium under. :)

In another question bound to piss off the world, Garber is seeming to back off on his pledge to FIFA to cap MLS at 18 teams. Yeah, that's brilliant. You know when MLS gets to its first division limit, he'd (please let him be out, please let him be out) just turn it into baseball making some sort of American and National League setup. That is, instead of doing the logical things and creating an MLS-2 and having teams fight for promotion (though not based on the European model, based more on the USL model where a team's fiscal performance and the like would mean promotion or relegation).

Frankly, I'm amazed he let D.C. United be sold to local investors. That just makes too much sense!

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In less aggrevating news than the nails on a chalkboard of Garber speaking, North Korea and South Korea have agreed to play a friendly. The reason? To commemorate the 60th anniversary of driving Japan off the peninsula on August 14. Ah, nothing says uniting like a common hatred.

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The World Club Championships draw was announced. I'm not sure I understand it enough to comment on it. Um, go Saprissa. :)

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Two major signings were finalized today. Milan Baros is joining Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga and Robinho is FINALLY joining Real Madrid (glad that soap opera has finally ended its run. For cripes sakes, I thought by the time Santos finally gave into the pressure, Robinho wouldn't even be a young player anymore.

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And finally, there may be a reason to bother with Scotland after all. Celtic really does look like they're in a little bit of trouble. Today, in the opener of the SPL season, they tied Motherwell 4-4, blowing a 3-1 lead in the process.

While this basically means the trophy makers can engrave Rangers on the cup now and save themselves some time later, the SPL will get more interesting when it comes to who gets the second Champions League spot if one of the Old Firm falls off.

Then again, according to reports many want both of the Old Firm to be part of "EPL expansion" anyway. Get Garber involved and it just might happen. :)