Throw-Ins: Issue 2
Well...the goal of an MLS squad is to win the MLS Cup. In Australia, they just want to finish a full season in the NSL. Clubs can’t survive Down Under. I didn’t think wallabies could be so deadly.
Alberto Naveda is the modern day form of a Bedouin. He carries his tent from place to place, but he can’t stay in one spot for too long. This year he started in Israel, and is now in the shop window in Scotland at Dundee United. Maybe he’ll sign a contract that will keep him in Dundee for a spell. There is also an equal possibility that the sun will not rise tomorrow morning.
Ante Razov has left the Fire for greener pastures in the Spanish Second Division. You didn’t think I was talking about the grass did you?
Grahame Jones of the L.A. Times wrote a short bit ago about the possibility of a Waldo/Franchino for Greg Vanney. I want some of whatever he smokes.
MLS is doing really well in Miami these days. They have their own stadium, and they are not losing a bushel of money. Would someone please tell Mr. Horowitz that fans are necessary? Can you say Rochester Fusion?
Wolde Harris recently signed a six-year deal to remain with the Revolution. The logical question is, "Are Wolde and Grahame smoking the same stuff?". Don’t get me wrong. I love Wolde. He’s a great striker. Why sign a 6-year deal in the prime of your career? I applaud his commitment but wonder about his fiscal sensibility. I don’t care much about the latter as long as the former stays strong.
Can MLS survive without Cobi Jones? A similar question would ask if the Revolution wished to use their next allocation on Nii Lamptey.
Hands up if you care about Alexi Lalas’s return to MLS. That’s what I thought.
It’s amazing how much the local papers ignore soccer. Does Bud Selig own the local papers or does he just pay them off?
They don’t call Diallo Big Mama because of his checkbook. Funnel some good old American greenbacks towards him. Knowing the history of MLS, I’d guess that the league would sign Cobi at $1 million a year before they paid up to Big Mama.
On a related note, Don Garber actually knows Diallo’s name.
A scary thought occurred to me as I was combing the MLS player archive. Imad Baba and Harut Karapetyan would have similar stats over equal time played.
GP GS MIN GLS AST PTS
Harut’s Five-year totals 104 72 5938 20 12 52
Baba’s Five-year totals 102 96 8227 23 19 65
Baba has played 2,289 more minutes than Harut yet he has only registered 3 more goals and 9 more assists. San Jose fans think that Karapetyan’s crap. Some New England fans think that Baba is crap. They both have Middle Eastern roots. Can we see the correlation here?
Has anyone found the corpse of Raul Diaz Arce?
It’s nice to see season ticket sales on the rise, especially in Kansas City. I’ll never, ever associate the words "Kansas City" and "bandwagon town".
I wish Francisco Marcos would see a shrink. Maybe he could go see an accountant as well. The man must be nuts. First he manages an unwieldy system of soccer clubs, and then he puts a team in the A-League from Lehigh Valley. Is this man sane? I don’t even need to answer that one.
What would I do without Bigsoccer.com? Let’s just say that I might actually go to socceramerica.com.
The Galaxy has all sorts of worries for the 2001 season. Will Cobi be back? Are we going to sign Alexi? Do we really have to deal a big salary? Can our younger guys step up? Will we get reinforcements from the draft? Luis Hernandez only has one major worry during this off-season: what color Porsche will the league buy me this year?
I wonder if Wolde will stay for the six-year duration if Fernando Clavijo gets fired during that time span.
Some little birdie told me that the Boston Bulldogs are dropping down to Division 3 next year. I wonder if their fanbase will miss them. It’s too bad that there were only 500 of them.
The Revolution has the lowest goals scored total of any original MLS team. How am I not surprised when we have featured such star scorers as the Haitian Sensation and El Tanque over the years?
On a related note, the Revolution have committed 250 more fouls than any other MLS team. I’m sure Krafty Bob will be sending this stat along to the parties responsible such as Aunger, Fraser, Alvarez, McKinley, Parra, et al. I’ve reached a conclusion on this topic. I don’t care.
While we’re out searching for carcasses, can someone please find Jovan Kirovski for me?
I was thinking about the lack of Canadians in MLS the other day. I guess the league must want big-name, high-flair talent. Well, Canadians can play for small prices. I think the Canadian ambassador to MLS, Mr. Geoff Aunger, pretty much killed off the chance of more Canadians. It’s sad, as there is some quality in Canada. Kind of like there are some warm days in Green Bay.
Aren’t you excited about the WUSA? The thought of a high, world-class league excites my soul every night. However, then I realize that the Boston team may play on the campus of Tufts University. Maybe I had it wrong. I think we’re talking pub-class now.
Why does the U.S. 2nd Division have teams in Canada? I don’t get it. I must be sane or something similar to that.
Why does Houston deserve a team before Rochester? If you have the answer, please tell me. Rochester has a great new soccer-specific stadium. Houston has an old stadium. Rochester will draw at least 15,000 a match. Houston is a gamble. I don’t get it. Again, it could be due to the fact that I am sane.
Analogy of the Week
Poor: Salvation Army
Metrostars: MLS Office
Here is my bold prediction for Y2K1. Soccer will be played in America. More people will watch than ever before. Uh-oh...I’m starting to sound like Mejido. It’s time to end the article.
Drop a note to the author at pitchside@hotmail.com
