MLS Playoffs

Seattle has X Box on their jerseys so I guess them

I haven't been following MLS as closely as I'd like to, I pay much more attention to the EPL. But with MLS I'm a Union fan and from the games I have had an opportunity to see Sporting seem really strong to me. I've seen Seattle play some as well and think they definitely have a shot, but I just think Kansas City seem like the strongest side from top to bottom. But like I said, I don't follow MLS all that closely so I could be totally off.

Yeah, I don't follow MLS at all, simply because my club is actually in USL Pro (Republic FC in Sacramento) but with how much hype there is here for us to possibly be promoted to MLS in the coming years, I've started following it more to get an idea of how MLS actually works. It's pretty confusing to say the least.

DingoSeanYeah, I don't follow MLS at all, simply because my club is actually in USL Pro (Republic FC in Sacramento) but with how much hype there is here for us to possibly be promoted to MLS in the coming years, I've started following it more to get an idea of how MLS actually works. It's pretty confusing to say the least.

Definitely. I think what turns me off to MLS the most is the salary cap with the 3 designated players that don't count towards the cap. It just seems cheesy to me. And if MLS are really committed to becoming on par with at least the mid-tier European leagues they should just nix the salary cap all together and allow for some dynasties to build.

FunkadelicDefinitely. I think what turns me off to MLS the most is the salary cap with the 3 designated players that don't count towards the cap. It just seems cheesy to me. And if MLS are really committed to becoming on par with at least the mid-tier European leagues they should just nix the salary cap all together and allow for some dynasties to build.

I know what it's there for, and I see why, as it's a league that's JUST starting to gain traction in the last decade or so, but at least they're playing real soccer, unlike that hilarious no draws shootout thing they had back in the 90's. Eventually it would be awesome if they can open up the designated player rule, but they're also trying to breed American talent, so it makes sense. I'd guess within a decade or two those rules will be abandoned due to a massive influx of generational talent from US youth leagues, though the salary cap might remain in order to retain parity - hopefully in a hybrid sense though, in that you can overspend at a penalty to the rest of the league, like baseball.


Also, I'm 100% for not moving the season to winter. With only baseball to compete with soccer, and with weather situations like that in Denver or Salt Lake City or the Northeast in winter time, I feel like it would be insane. Countries like Norway, Sweden, and Russia take winter breaks off for that very reason - something that MLS can ill afford to do.

Soccer works great in summer for the USA, and fills the gap for people who are tired of baseball every night and want something different - along with people's understanding of soccer being a summertime thing via the fact that the world cup exists in the northern summer, I feel like it's perfect, and allows us to compete with europe for star talent what with the ability to loan players back and forth between continental leagues.

I went to an MLS game at Mile High stadium right before they took it down. And I play on a soccer team through soccerzone, where I have no idea what I'm doing. And my friend just moved to Seattle.

So based on all this pertinent information, I will go with Seattle.

DingoSeanYeah, I don't follow MLS at all, simply because my club is actually in USL Pro (Republic FC in Sacramento) but with how much hype there is here for us to possibly be promoted to MLS in the coming years, I've started following it more to get an idea of how MLS actually works. It's pretty confusing to say the least.

You play in USL Pro?

DingoSeanI know what it's there for, and I see why, as it's a league that's JUST starting to gain traction in the last decade or so, but at least they're playing real soccer, unlike that hilarious no draws shootout thing they had back in the 90's. Eventually it would be awesome if they can open up the designated player rule, but they're also trying to breed American talent, so it makes sense. I'd guess within a decade or two those rules will be abandoned due to a massive influx of generational talent from US youth leagues, though the salary cap might remain in order to retain parity - hopefully in a hybrid sense though, in that you can overspend at a penalty to the rest of the league, like baseball.


Also, I'm 100% for not moving the season to winter. With only baseball to compete with soccer, and with weather situations like that in Denver or Salt Lake City or the Northeast in winter time, I feel like it would be insane. Countries like Norway, Sweden, and Russia take winter breaks off for that very reason - something that MLS can ill afford to do.

Soccer works great in summer for the USA, and fills the gap for people who are tired of baseball every night and want something different - along with people's understanding of soccer being a summertime thing via the fact that the world cup exists in the northern summer, I feel like it's perfect, and allows us to compete with europe for star talent what with the ability to loan players back and forth between continental leagues.

Those are all definitely good points... though don't we all miss the days of hockey style penalties from midfield... I suppose it is an important structure until the home grown talent is strong enough to sustain the league under a baseball-styled structure. I'm really excited to see where the academies take talent in this country. As someone that has played soccer my entire life I really wish this was the structure of soccer when I was a kid. I remember when I was in high school I played in a tournament with my club team and played against Toronto FC's academy team (before Toronto was actually an MLS team) when the whole academy system was just barely in its infancy. And I thought it was awesome and wished I had the opportunity those kids had where I lived (in PA and there was no MLS team for there to be an academy at the time).

As far as the timing of the season I agree the summer is perfect. Interest in baseball in this country is in a decline (whether that's good or bad is neither here nor there) and soccer definitely gets more visibility being at the same season as baseball. And as you said having a winter season in the U.S. and Canada would be ridiculous. Imagine a January matchup between New England and Toronto... or Colorado and Vancouver? That would be terrible haha.

FunkadelicThose are all definitely good points... though don't we all miss the days of hockey style penalties from midfield... I suppose it is an important structure until the home grown talent is strong enough to sustain the league under a baseball-styled structure. I'm really excited to see where the academies take talent in this country. As someone that has played soccer my entire life I really wish this was the structure of soccer when I was a kid. I remember when I was in high school I played in a tournament with my club team and played against Toronto FC's academy team (before Toronto was actually an MLS team) when the whole academy system was just barely in its infancy. And I thought it was awesome and wished I had the opportunity those kids had where I lived (in PA and there was no MLS team for there to be an academy at the time).

As far as the timing of the season I agree the summer is perfect. Interest in baseball in this country is in a decline (whether that's good or bad is neither here nor there) and soccer definitely gets more visibility being at the same season as baseball. And as you said having a winter season in the U.S. and Canada would be ridiculous. Imagine a January matchup between New England and Toronto... or Colorado and Vancouver? That would be terrible haha.

Yeah, With how many youth leagues and academies are opening up in this country, I could only imagine that within a decade you're going to see some serious serious talent coming out of the USA. Right now there are some players that are making it on some of the mid-tier teams in the top leagues, but I'd imagine there will be Neymars and Ronaldos coming out of the USA very soon.

the American talent pool is massive, and when the soccer mom helicopter parent generation took over in the 1990's and kids stopped playing expensive contact sports with like football, or seemingly dangerous flying projectile sports like hockey and baseball, Soccer and Basketball became the main two youth sports out there - cheap, safe, fit around school schedules, and easy to get playing time. In the last 6 or so years that's started to bear legitimate fruit, and I can only imagine what another 5-10 will do for American soccer.

I'd say a World Cup quarterfinals and perhaps around 3-5 players starting on consistent Champions League clubs isn't too much to ask within the next 10-12 years.