News and Views

Naturally, my life would have to get really busy during the playoffs! I haven't been able to keep up with them, let alone watch any of the games! Unfortunately, it's not going to get any less busy for a while. Well, here goes your MLS news and views (for now).

It's down to eight teams, and Columbus is one of them! Yea! I just hope that, for once, they will be able to hold on and make it to the Cup. Ultimately, I want them to win the Cup this year, but I will be happy if they just make it there. With their strong finish this year, they proved a lot of people wrong. Personally, I can think of no better finish for them than to finish the season with the Cup in their hands!

Standings: So far, the Eastern Conference leaders are the Revs and DC, and the Western Conference leaders are San Jose and Colorado.

MLS Cup History

Controversial call nets D.C. a win vs. Metros

Donovan leads nominees for soccer player of the year

News and Views

Fitz-Gerald joins ReAL Salt Lake

MLS Cup Playoffs This isn't an article; it's MLS's playoff page.

Crew focused on continuing success

Major League Soccer's Eastern and Western Conference Semifinals Start Friday on Fox Sports World

News and Views

First XI: Every game counts Good quote:

Remember a few weeks back when U.S. national team manager Bruce Arena said that MLS regular season games were not meaningful enough? You have to wonder how Arena would feel about those comments were he coaching one of the 10 MLS teams this past season. When you think about it, what team in the league has ever felt completely at ease this year, so confident that his team would, one, make the playoffs and, two, get home field for the playoffs?...Truth be told, it's been a season full of meaningful games and this week's First XI will go by team by team to illustrate.

Well said.

Good news for United: United Will Bring Nowak Back as Coach

The Clean Sheet: Alive and kicking

Knowing how to make it count

Wynalda: That's more like it

Soccer: Wynalda always one to look ahead

With everything that has been going on in my life lately, I probably will not be posting much, if at all, this week. I hope to resume regular posting by next week.

Columbus at Metrostars: postgame commentary

Oy. It was a close, and, therefore an exciting game (ok, so I think any soccer game is exciting, but this one was more exciting than usual), but...Columbus needs to work on finishing and tightening up that defense. The Metrostars had way too many shots on goal; Columbus didn't have nearly enough. The Metrostars definitely played better than Columbus. I don't think anyone can argue that. I just hope that Columbus was having a bad day. I hope they got it out of their system and will be able to play much better during the remainder of the season/postseason. Ideally, the Crew's postseason run will take them to the Cup! On the positive side, Columbus did maintain their loss-less streak. I just wish that wasn't the only thing they did right tonight!

Columbus at Metrostars: final score

Columbus 1 : Metrostars 1

Columbus at Metrostars (continued)

I said it before, and, unfortunately, I must say it again: Columbus needs to step up their defense! Then again, the old adage also holds true here: the best defense is a good offense. Come on, Crew!

Columbus at Metrostars (continued)

For those who may not be familiar with the rules of soccer, if a player, while near his/her own goal (in the penalty box), commits a foul against the other team, the other team gets a penalty kick (PK). In a PK, a player from the team that was fouled gets to take a shot on goal from 9 yards from the goal. The goalie cannot move until the kicker's foot has touched the goal. Needless to say, a team who is awarded a PK scores the bulk of the time. That's what I was bemoaning.

Columbus at Metrostars (continued)

How stupid can you be? The last thing you want to do in a soccer match is trip an opposing player in your own box! Thanks to a certain nameless player *glares at the screen*, the Metrostars scored! *Glares.*

Columbus at Metrostars: halftime score

Columbus 1 : Metrostars 0

Columbus at Metrostars (continued)

Whew! The Metrostars have had quite a few close chances at goal in the last several minutes! Columbus had better step up their defense befeore their luck runs out!

Columbus at Metrostars (continued)

YYYYYYYYeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Columbus scored! Whoo-hoo!

Columbus at Metrostars (continued)

It's kind of sad: I still think of the Metrostars as New York/New Jersey. Come to think of it, I also sometimes refer to San Jose as the Clash. On another note, I forgot how frustrating it can be for a fan to watch a soccer game played on a football field! Those yellow lines are hard to see!

Columbus at Metrostars

Once again you get to see my running commentary as I watch a match live! Anyways, here goes.

Yikes...I pity the Metrostars, who have to play on a converted football field! I've had to do that; it's not fun!

Introducing Utah's team: Real Salt Lake

The speculation is over; Salt Lake has chosen a name for its team. Real Salt Lake. I like it.

Standings

1. Columbus
2. KC
3. Colorado and LA
4. Metrostars
5. DC and San Jose
6. Dallas
7. Chicago
8. New England

I love these rankings! Go Columbus!

News and Views

Wynalda: Every game matters Update on what Wynalda said earlier this year:

For me, what the Columbus Crew have accomplished this year has been an amazing feat. I said at the beginning of the year that I was very curious to see how Andrulis would manage the most talented team in Major League Soccer, and he got off to a very rocky start. I'm not going to give Andrulis all of the credit for the turnaround, but he did do several things necessary for success in this league: he let his players play, and he let them be the stars, and he let them play to their strengths. He kept his team happy and healthy, and he made tough decisions -- like sitting Jeff Cunningham and moving Kyle Martino up front -- which impresses me.

Weekend MLS Previews

Combinations vital to Wizards

Wynalda might get last shot: Soccer Hall inductee could play in MLS exhibition Monday

Dante Washington rejoins Crew

Earthquakes re-sign U.S. striker Ching

Coming Back to Haunt Us

News and Views

TCS: Nightmare on Victoria Street? I must have been spending too much time studying and not enough time sleeping, because I found this statement really funny: Apparently this new MLS-adidas deal really is all-encompassing: my sources tell me the apparel company will even be producing a bed linen line called The Clean Sheets. Nice. That aside, the rest of the column basically consists of Palace bemoaning the fact that Chicago made it to the playoffs and the Revs didn't.

Crew runnin' down a dream Yea Crew!!!!!!!!!

Salt Lake tabs Ellinger to be coach

Galaxy's Hong announces retirement

Crew to host playoff game Oct. 31

News and Views

Salt Lake set to announce name, logo

Crew, Fire to reshuffle lineups The tension builds...

Columbus Crew look to make MLS history on Wednesday night The Columbus Crew will look to make Major League Soccer history on Wednesday night as they attempt to set the longest unbeaten streak in MLS history against the Chicago Fire at Soldier Field.

Tales From The Pitch: Fire get the key draw on Saturday, but in dire straits on Wednesday

First XI: The debates

Adidas signs 10-year deal with MLS to become official athletic sponsor

Adidas locks up MLS in 10-year sponsorship deal

MLS playoff picture still cloudy

Tony's take: History repeating

News and Views

Herron makes history with weekly nod

Crew's Cunningham ends droughts

MLS Roundup: Week 27

Just Win, Baby!

Gulati: Arena is sorry Arena's comments are still making headlines!

News and Views

Crew takes 15-game unbeaten streak into Wednesday's road contest in Chicago I wonder how long their streak will last.

Conrad's Corner: MLS supporters take a crack at the top issues facing the league I like his "disclaimer" of sorts (there probably is a better word for it, but, unfortunately, I can't think of it at the moment!):

I, Jimmy Conrad, pledge to be a fair and balanced moderator with no bias attached to any issue I open up for debate. Any jabs directed toward me will incur my wrath, thus inspiring my team, the Kansas City Wizards, to beat the team you support in the playoffs. Understood? Good.

I guess I'd better not e-mail any critical comments towards him. ;) I'm not going to quote anything else from the article (I'd end up quoting most of it!), but if you have some time on your hands, I definitely recommend that you read it. It fits under the "views" category of my blog. I need to start reading this guy's columns weekly! Maybe I've just spent way too much time this past weekend studying, but I found it hilarious!

Why Bruce had to drop his bomb If you're sick of the hornet's nest that Arena stirred up, go ahead and skip this and the next link.

`lack of respect' in MLS timetable

Cavs hope veterans bring more credibility I know that the Cavs are a basketball team, but if you scroll down to the bottom of the page, you'll see something about MLS. In case you don't feel like scrolling, I'll just post the whole thing here:

Don Garber slipped into town recently to meet with Force President Paul Garofolo and relatives of late former team owner Bart Wolstein about a possible MLS franchise in Cleveland beginning in 2006.

Herron, Cunningham put on a show

News and Views

Rapids clinch MLS playoff berth

MLS: Chicago 3, Columbus 3 I like the opening sentence: The Columbus Crew tied the record for the longest unbeaten streak in Major League Soccer history Saturday in a 3-3 tie with the Chicago Fire.

Crew tie Fire 3-3 to remain unbeaten I think I like the opening sentence of this article better than the previous one: The Columbus Crew extended their unbeaten streak to a league-record 15 games with a 3-3 tie against the Chicago Fire on Saturday night.

MLS: New England 2, Dallas 0


Adu's lessons kick in I finally found an article that does not sing the praises of Adu! A year older and certainly wiser, D.C. United's Freddy Adu realizes his first pro season could have been better. Even better: MLS overhyped Adu, promoting a player like it never had before. Then again, this one is pretty good, too: Called the league's savior, Adu hasn't lived up to expectations, at least not yet, although he made a major impact on attendance. Yea! I'm not the only one who thinks that is true!

News and Views

It's good to be king Basically, Wynalda takes issue with stuff ath Arena said in his highly public diatribe.

Twelve MLS players in U.S. qualifier

Arena apologizes for controversial comments Apology probably isn't the right term. After all, Arena only apologized for his "tone," not the content of what he said. This reminds me of what Wynalda said: My problem with Arena is not what he said, or the points he made. It was the process.

Arena clarifies his remarks I think this title is a little more descriptive than the last one about what happened!

Arena: 'The Tone Was Wrong... The Content Was Not'

Key MLS weekend with playoffs ahead

Nelson Fined by MLS