Monday, March 29, 2004

Crewzer Mike Clark has retired from MLS.
Construction will begin this year on a new statium for the MetroStars! Crew stadium (the first soccer-specific stadium in MLS), from what I've seen in pictures and on TV, read about, and heard from people who have been there, rocks. Slowly but surely, other MLS teams are starting to be able to get their own, too.
I wonder how Freddy Adu will fare in MLS. At 14, he is the youngest player in MLS, and, if my memory serves me correctly, the youngest player ever to play in MLS. Bobby Convey was the youngest before Adu signed. He (Convey) started at age 16, and has played well from the beginning, making positive contributions to DC United (maybe a little too positive, from the perspective of a Crew fan). They say he's a great player, and he probably is, but only time will tell whether he can make it in MLS. If he's good enough, maybe he will one day have the opportunity to play in Europe. I may have been eagerly following MLS since before the league even started, but I do realize that it is not quite up to par with European leagues (e.g. England's Premiership, Italy's Serie A, etc.). MLS has been a great boon to American soccer and certainly has increased in caliber (point in case: Japan/Korea 2002, where the US finished 8th), especially after getting rid of the hideous shootouts to end regular games (the extra time for tied matches still makes me fume, though I do not fume nearly as much as I did over the shootouts). However, MLS still has a ways to go.

Update: A London newspaper has a positive article about Adu!

Update: Landon Donovan is offering advice to Adu.

Update: Adu has caught the attention of The New Zealand Herald.

Update: Ditto for CBS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Days until the first MLS match of the season: 5
(Metrostars at Columbus)
Welcome to my unofficial blog about the news and my views of MLS (Major League Soccer). If you are interested in efforts to revive the WUSA, check out my other blog, Save WUSA. Although I am (obviously) a fan of the the Crew, I will be sure to blog on other teams as well. Enjoy!