Trying Not To Sound Like A Eurosnob In Columbus
The European fall footcer league season (don't forget some of the UEFA-based leagues actually use a similiar calendar to MLS, it's a big kept secret) officially kicked off today with League 1 in France. Paris Saint Germain (which I call the not PSV even though their PSG would sound that way over a bad cell phone) beat Metz in a battle of teams that almost no one outside France cares about 4-1.
This is quickly followed by the Scottish Premier League tomorrow and the Bundesliga next weekend (then the leagues I actually care about on the weekend of the 12-14th).
But as it stands, this is MLS' last weekend in the stand alone sun as far as league play and they made the most of it, hooking horns with a couple of the leagues that start the middle of next month and actually competing.
One thing I don't understand about D.C. United (not that as a Fire fan I ever try to get inside the head of the Screaming Eagles). Why on Earth did they pull Nick Rimando at the half? He's not playing in the All-Star Game after all so it wasn't for the rest. So here you've got a guy who's got the second best GAA in the league and you pull him to test a rookie - AGAINST CHELSEA! You know, Chelsea. Maybe the best team in the world?
Not that Rimando would have stopped the Crespo goal, but you've at least got to give him a shot. Perhaps United got caught up in Chelsea subbing in an entirely new team for the second half and wanted to try it themselves, but cripes!
Anyhow, as it stands, footcer teams in the North America can hold their heads high that not a one of the teams that set foot on the pitch against European competition got blown out. And, two of the teams actually won. Besides Vancouver's victory over Sunderland, the Crew beat Fulham 2-1 on Wednesday.
Yeah, I was a little disappointed, but I'll count it as a victory for MLS just the same. But see the Crew had a little trick up their sleeves. At halftime they played "Rock The Casbah" by The Clash. Fooling Fulham into thinking they were at home, they blew the game. See how that works? No. Oh my fate! We're getting relegated for sure! :)
Still it's nothing like what the teams in the J-League are doing. MLS' buddies in the second tier, spring to fall season world got another huge win this week as Kashima Antlers beat Manchester United 2-1.
Though MLS and the J-League still have something in common. People complaining about the creation of Eurosnobs through these tours in general. In the case of Asia, it's FIFA crying foul. Here's the thing though. Eurosnobs are always going to exist if you feed their urges or not, they're still going to root for big European teams. At least if you bring these teams over, you get money in your own team or league's coffers.
To be fair to MLS, the teams have a pretty good record against international competition. For example, the Crew have never lost to a team from the EPL and stand at 2-0-1. They're 6-1-1 overall in international exhibitions (thank you the Columbus Dispatch, it's nice to read a paper with real footcer coverage). Similarly, the loss to Chelsea was D.C. United's first loss against a team from England.
But, hey, anything's possible on any given day. Look at Celtic's 0-5 loss to Artmedia Bratislava. Now enough people have poked fun at the Hoops all over the internet so I won't join in the dog pile. No, I'm going to defend them (and hope no Rangers fans with guns come after me). I've been to Bratislava, Slovakia and the team was probably in awe of how it looks even more run down than Glasgow and couldn't concentrate on the match.
Not surprisingly the punters have quickly put their money on Rangers to win the SPL now.
Perhaps Manchester United will hit a similar snag in Eastern Europe as they're traveling to either Croatia (Split is actually quite a nice city though) or Debrecen, Hungary (not a nice city, but it does have a bowling alley) - most likely Debrecen since they won the first leg against Hajduk Split (who know the United States defender had a team named for him) 3-0.
The BBC has some great coverage on the Who's? Who? of the 3rd round of the Champions League.
Everton actually plays a real team, Villareal (read my profile and see who I'm rooting for) so England may be back down to four teams going into the group stage. ;)
I'll have more at a later time. Right now it's off to go get drunk with some FulhamUSA people.
My fate. I really do sound like a Eurosnob now. :)
This is quickly followed by the Scottish Premier League tomorrow and the Bundesliga next weekend (then the leagues I actually care about on the weekend of the 12-14th).
But as it stands, this is MLS' last weekend in the stand alone sun as far as league play and they made the most of it, hooking horns with a couple of the leagues that start the middle of next month and actually competing.
One thing I don't understand about D.C. United (not that as a Fire fan I ever try to get inside the head of the Screaming Eagles). Why on Earth did they pull Nick Rimando at the half? He's not playing in the All-Star Game after all so it wasn't for the rest. So here you've got a guy who's got the second best GAA in the league and you pull him to test a rookie - AGAINST CHELSEA! You know, Chelsea. Maybe the best team in the world?
Not that Rimando would have stopped the Crespo goal, but you've at least got to give him a shot. Perhaps United got caught up in Chelsea subbing in an entirely new team for the second half and wanted to try it themselves, but cripes!
Anyhow, as it stands, footcer teams in the North America can hold their heads high that not a one of the teams that set foot on the pitch against European competition got blown out. And, two of the teams actually won. Besides Vancouver's victory over Sunderland, the Crew beat Fulham 2-1 on Wednesday.
Yeah, I was a little disappointed, but I'll count it as a victory for MLS just the same. But see the Crew had a little trick up their sleeves. At halftime they played "Rock The Casbah" by The Clash. Fooling Fulham into thinking they were at home, they blew the game. See how that works? No. Oh my fate! We're getting relegated for sure! :)
Still it's nothing like what the teams in the J-League are doing. MLS' buddies in the second tier, spring to fall season world got another huge win this week as Kashima Antlers beat Manchester United 2-1.
Though MLS and the J-League still have something in common. People complaining about the creation of Eurosnobs through these tours in general. In the case of Asia, it's FIFA crying foul. Here's the thing though. Eurosnobs are always going to exist if you feed their urges or not, they're still going to root for big European teams. At least if you bring these teams over, you get money in your own team or league's coffers.
To be fair to MLS, the teams have a pretty good record against international competition. For example, the Crew have never lost to a team from the EPL and stand at 2-0-1. They're 6-1-1 overall in international exhibitions (thank you the Columbus Dispatch, it's nice to read a paper with real footcer coverage). Similarly, the loss to Chelsea was D.C. United's first loss against a team from England.
But, hey, anything's possible on any given day. Look at Celtic's 0-5 loss to Artmedia Bratislava. Now enough people have poked fun at the Hoops all over the internet so I won't join in the dog pile. No, I'm going to defend them (and hope no Rangers fans with guns come after me). I've been to Bratislava, Slovakia and the team was probably in awe of how it looks even more run down than Glasgow and couldn't concentrate on the match.
Not surprisingly the punters have quickly put their money on Rangers to win the SPL now.
Perhaps Manchester United will hit a similar snag in Eastern Europe as they're traveling to either Croatia (Split is actually quite a nice city though) or Debrecen, Hungary (not a nice city, but it does have a bowling alley) - most likely Debrecen since they won the first leg against Hajduk Split (who know the United States defender had a team named for him) 3-0.
The BBC has some great coverage on the Who's? Who? of the 3rd round of the Champions League.
Everton actually plays a real team, Villareal (read my profile and see who I'm rooting for) so England may be back down to four teams going into the group stage. ;)
I'll have more at a later time. Right now it's off to go get drunk with some FulhamUSA people.
My fate. I really do sound like a Eurosnob now. :)
posted by incendiarymind at 3:41 PM
1 Comments:
On pulling Rimando: Nowak wanted Troy Perkins to see some minutes in a friendly, even if it was against Chelsea. And Perkins is a quality keeper who played a lot when Rimando was hurt last year... If Rimando had a bad stretch, I would not even say that his job was completely safe.
On Eurosnobs: If you truly support an MLS club or even MLS in general, you're not one. End of story, as far as I'm concerned. Nearly anyone who loves soccer loves the European game. Nothing wrong with that. But those who refuse to support our national lague or local clubs because their not on par with the very best in the world... they're just creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.
The good news about those people is that, because they're soccer fans, they're all potential MLS converts.
Great blog! Keep it up.
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